The New Kanto
by irrelephantrim
Summary: Andrew, a new trainer in the Kanto Region, begins his journey thinking he's just taking the Pokédex challenge, catching Pokémon and battling Gym Leaders along the way. Little does he know, this journey will bring him into new relationships he didn't expect, and into the inner workings of a government-sponsored organization that will make him question everything he believes in.
1. The New Kanto

It's Thursday, April 24 and today, Andrew turns 16 years old. In one week – May 1 to be exact – he will begin his journey into the world of Pokémon. He's been anxiously awaiting this day since his brother left two years' prior. By law, trainers must be at least 16 by the end of the calendar year to collect and train Pokémon. All interested persons who meet the age requirement are also required to take an aptitude test administered by PokéTech, determining whether they are truly capable for the trials of becoming a trainer. New trainers have the choice of collecting them on their own or taking the Pokédex challenge. With the latter, the trainer may also receive one of three starter Pokémon, unique to each region. After passing the test - and discovering that a few other peers in the area did so, as well - Andrew sees the many benefits to the Pokédex challenge, and agrees to take it on.

The following week, he wakes up early and packs the remaining few items needed to begin his journey. At 8 o'clock exactly, he kisses his parents' goodbye and begins the mile walk up the road to Professor Gary Oak's lab. On the way, he meets up with Trent, an old friend who is also beginning his journey and has coincidentally chosen to take the Pokédex challenge, as well. They talk about which starter they will choose; both natives to Kanto, their choices are Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Trent speaks practically – thinking of the various gym leaders they will face throughout the region. Andrew thinks more about strategy – which will have a more diverse skill set and create a balanced team. Both boys are brimming with excitement as they approach the lab.

Trent and Andrew are the first to arrive and shortly after, a young girl named Maggie shows up – also taking the Pokédex challenge. Professor Oak sits with the three trainers, discussing the workings of the hi-tech machine, then presents three Pokéballs, each containing a different starter. He reviews the properties of each: Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon – a grass and poison dual type; Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon – a fire type; and Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon – a water type.

"We're lucky this year. Only three of you have chosen to take the challenge, which means one for each. It is, however, up to you to determine who receives which Pokémon," the Professor explains. Maggie speaks up, confessing her desire to train and breed all kinds of grass creatures. Fortunately, Trent and Andrew had already discussed their first choices, and this melded well. Happily, Professor Oak gives Squirtle to Trent, Bulbasaur to Maggie, and Charmander to Andrew. He also hands them each 5 Pokéballs to get started. They all discuss their excitement over their new partners, then head their separate ways. Professor Oak holds Andrew back for a second, letting him know that of the three, Charmander has proven the most complicated for early trainers to handle. The professor warns that the first few gym challenges with be tough for a fire type, and suggests Andrew create a balanced, diverse team to assist. Excited for the challenge, Andrew thanks the professor for his advice and heads straight for the next town – Viridian City.

Andrew walks for a bit, thinking of all the new Pokémon he is about to encounter, when a small Rattata crosses his path. The purple mouse turns and locks eyes with Andrew, then charges forward, suddenly very angry. Andrew quickly sends out Charmander and calls for it to use Leer. The move hits and takes Rattata aback. He then tells his partner to use Scratch, and the move makes direct contact, instantly knocking out the small mouse. Charmander smiles at his trainer, and Andrew runs to hug him, excited about his first real battle. This surprises the lizard, and he flares his tail flame in defense. Understanding that they are still new to one another, Andrew backs away and thanks him for the successful battle. Charmander calms down and the two decide to walk with one another for a bit.

After some time, they encounter a second Pokémon – this time, the flying type Pidgey. Circling a tree off to the side, the Tiny Bird sees Andrew and his partner and swoops down across from them, intrigued. Andrew starts the battle this time with a quick Scratch. As Charmander moves forward, however, Pidgey whips up a shield with Sand Attack, making it hard for Charmander to aim. He then blasts the lizard with a powerful Gust attack, knocking him off his balance. Andrew realizes this Pidgey is at a relatively high level, and calls for Charmander to use his Scratch again, this time making contact with the flying type. Pidgey falters, then kicks up another Gust, which Charmander avoids by hiding behind a tree. Andrew then calls for a Leer attack, then follows that with another Scratch, and Pidgey is knocked out of the air. Knowing he only has a few seconds to act, Andrew activates a Pokéball from his bag and tosses it at the bird Pokémon. It shakes a few times, goes still, and the button goes from red to white, signifying a successful catch.

Andrew and Charmander jump high into the air, thrilled with how well that went. He calls out Pidgey – a confident yet humble little Pokémon who seems excited to be a part of the team. The three enjoy dinner together, then camp out for the night, hoping to reach Viridian in the morning.

The following day, Andrew reaches the new city and makes a stop at the Pokémon Center, where he meets Nurse Joy; she heals his two teammates, explaining that he may stay in one of the available rooms there as long as he is in town. He decides to explore the city a bit, discovering an abandoned Pokémon Gym and eventually catching a Nidoran. He runs into Trent on a path to a dark cave, and the two decide to have a Pokémon battle. Andrew uses his newly caught Nidoran and Trent chooses a Rattata. His normal type is speedy and much stronger than the one Andrew faced early on, and scores an early Quick Attack. Andrew responds with a Poison Sting, which lands and seems to status Rattata. Trent then calls for Bite, and Andrew for Peck, and the two moves collide. Rattata, struggling from poison, faints and Trent recalls it, playfully saying how lucky that was. He then sends out his Nidoran, which looks slightly different from Andrew's. Trent explains that they are different genders, and they will eventually evolve into a totally different species. Andrew pretends to know this, then calls for another Poison Sting, hoping for more luck. Trent laughs and lets the attack hit, then tells his Nidoran to use Bite. The move does major damage and Andrew's Nidoran is knocked out. He returns the Poison pin Pokémon and sends out Pidgey, calling for a Gust attack right away. The move hits, and Nidoran responds with another Bite. Trent then calls for a Poison Sting, but not before Pidgey gets in a Sand Attack, limiting the female poison type's visibility. He then charges with a Quick Attack, knocking her out.

Trent is very happy with how exciting the battle is turning out, and sends out his last partner, Squirtle. He uses a powerful Bubble, which seems to slow Pidgey down a bit. Andrew calls for Quick Attack, and Squirtle uses Withdraw to increase his defense. The Tiny turtle then pops back out and slams the bird with a Tackle attack, making him faint. Andrew knows his last Pokémon is at a type disadvantage, but he has no choice, so he calls out Charmander. Squirtle moves first, using a high-powered Water Gun attack. Charmander swerves out of the way, narrowly dodging the move, then uses an Ember attack. It hits, but is not very effective. Squirtle responds with another Bubble, which hits the target. Andrew calls for a Scratch, and Charmander moves in close, then uses his claws to scratch away at the water type. Squirtle uses Withdraw again to lessen the damage, but Charmander is already using a newly learned Metal Claw. The attack seems to boost Charmander's strength a bit, but Squirtle hits him first with a Water Gun. The super effective move nearly knocks out the Lizard, but Charmander gathers every bit of strength left to launch a final Scratch, and the move does just enough to take down Squirtle.

"Well, every trainer has first battle luck!" Trent teases, returning his partner. "Nice work, buddy. Next time, the tables'll turn, though, so be ready for an even more intense one."

Trent and Andrew shake hands, and the new rival walks off into the cave. Before he is out of sight, he shouts over his shoulder, "And you better find some more options for Brock. His rock types are gonna destroy you!"

Andrew heads back to the Center to rest a bit and heal his tired Pokémon, thinking of what Trent said. That night, he takes a walk in the nearby forest and catches the bug-type Caterpie. They train for a bit together and the bug evolves into the Cocoon Pokémon, Metapod. Proud of his progress so far, Andrew plans to head for Pewter City the next day, eager for more battles to come. On his trip from Viridian to Pewter, Andrew's Nidoran learns the fighting move Double kick, and Metapod fully evolves into Butterfree. Once in the boulder-filled city, he spends a few more days training and preparing, then decides to put his new team to the test.

* * *

As he approaches the Gym doors, a young woman - Tina - stops him, and informs Andrew that she will be his first challenge and will be the true test if he is ready for the Rock Gym Leader. She sends out a Sandshrew, and Andrew calls out Butterfree. The sand mouse attacks first with a strong Scratch attack, and Butterfree counters with Gust. The butterfly then uses a Confusion attack, which does serious damage, and Tina commands Defense Curl to boost the ground type's defense. Andrew calls for another Confusion, however, and the move lands a direct hit, knocking out Sandshrew. She returns her teammate and sends out Diglett. The Mole Pokémon is the smallest Andrew has ever seen, and Tina commands it to burrow underground with Dig. Butterfree flies over to the hole and lets off a powerful Gust attack, which forces Diglett to come out of hiding. It then tries for a Fury Swipes, which hits, but Butterfree lets off one last Confusion and Diglett is knocked out.

"Huh," Tina says, returning her Pokémon to its Pokéball. "Maybe you are ready for him after all. He'll be waiting inside. Good luck, though - you'll need it." Andrew thanks her for the battle and heads into the Pewter Gym.

Already in place on a pedestal across the field, Brock smiles at his new challenger and announces that the battle will be 2v2. He sends out his first choice – the rock/ground dual type Geodude. Andrew calls for Nidoran, and Geodude uses a Defense Curl, building a strong base from the start. Andrew begins to put the pieces together in his mind, learning that this gym is heavily focused on defense. He calls for a Poison Sting, and the move hits, but seems hardly effective. Geodude then rolls his body up and charges at the Poison pin Pokémon with a Rollout. The move strikes, and Nidoran is taken aback, but launches another Poison Sting – this one making contact and seemingly poisoning the opponent. Geodude ignores the status and goes for another Rollout, but Nidoran dodges and uses Leer, weakening his defenses. He then uses Double Kick and the move strikes twice, doing major damage. The rock type Uses a Rock throw attack, which does more damage to Nidoran, but he counters with another Double Kick, and with the help from poison, does enough to knock out Brock's first Pokémon.

Surprised, Brock recalls his Geodude. "Impressive," he says. "Ignoring the physical type advantage and focusing on attack power is an interesting tactic. But it won't work on this one."

Brock sends out Onix, the massive rock snake Pokémon. Nidoran goes in for a Double Kick attack, which strikes, but on the second kick Onix wraps him quickly in a Bind. Andrew calls for a close range Poison Sting, but he is unable. Onix then throws the Pokémon across the field and hurls a Rock throw at him, knocking him out. Andrew returns Nidoran, thanking him for such a great battle. He then pauses, thinking about his next move. Butterfree could work with her special attacks, but with a major type disadvantage, Andrew is afraid the strength of Onix would be too much. He decides to take a different sort of risk, and calls for Charmander.

The Flame lizard bursts from the Pokéball and Andrew commands, "Growl attack now Charmander!" Onix Digs underground, and Charmander and Andrew are forced to wait for the dual type to re-emerge. He does so, just under Charmander – it hits, and Andrew calls for an immediate Ember attack to counter. Onix seems to be slightly more affected by the move, and Andrew realizes he is burned. Acting fast, Charmander goes for a Metal Claw. Brock lets the super effective attack land.

"Now Onix, Bind!" Brock commands the rock snake to wrap Charmander hard in its body. Struggling, Charmander tries for a close range Ember, but doesn't have the breath support, and Onix squeezes harder. Andrew calls for Charmander to suck in as much air as possible – confused, the lizard does so, and realizes he has space to move within the rock snake's grasp. He then strikes with a Metal Claw, and the move does just enough to loosen the hold on him, letting him fall to the ground. Frustrated, Brock calls for a Rock throw attack, but Charmander avoids it and strikes his opponent with a final Metal Claw, causing the giant rock snake to faint.

Brock smiles and returns his partner. "Well, that was quite the battle," he says. "You completely disregard type disadvantages and instead, focus on the power and abilities of your Pokémon. In a short time, you've already developed trust with your partners and for that, I am happy to present you with this."

Brock hands Andrew the Boulder Badge, and informs him that he should venture to Cerulean City and challenge the next Leader – Misty. "She's all out with her water types, though, so be ready," he warns. Andrew leaves the Gym and heads to the Pokémon Center. He heals his Pokémon and takes the night to rest, before heading out the next day to Mt. Moon, the most direct route to Cerulean.

While travelling through the mysterious cave, Andrew catches a wild Geodude and a rather evasive Clefairy. During an intense battle with a Hiker, Andrew's Nidoran evolves into Nidorino, learning a powerful Fury Attack in the process. Just as he finds the exit, he discovers two fossils, both being guarded by a mysterious Scientist. He challenges Andrew to a battle, and Andrew agrees, sending out Charmander. The scientist uses a Magnemite – a Pokémon Andrew has yet to see. Learning it is an electric and steel dual type, Andrew commands a quick Ember attack. The move hits, but Magnemite then launches a Thunder Wave, paralyzing Charmander and cutting his speed in half. The Magnet Pokémon then uses Thundershock, and the move does serious damage. Andrew calls for another Ember attack, but Charmander is affected to heavily by paralysis, and Magnemite manages to score a direct Tackle attack. Just as Andrew thinks it is over, Charmander evolves into Charmeleon, and lets off a super-powered Dragon Rage attack. The move instantly knocks out Magnemite, and Andrew wins the battle.

"Okay," the scientist says, "you can have one of the fossils. But only one! Don't get greedy." Andrew chooses the fossil with a seemingly large Dome in the center, and continues on his way.

As he leaves the cave, he notices a couple of trainers in strange costumes working on some sort of machine. Hidden slightly from view, Andrew decides to investigate a bit. He hears them muttering something about a "Big Boss" and that they have a "quota to meet." He tries to strike a conversation with them, but both turn abruptly and send out their Pokémon – a Zubat and a Grimer – ready for a battle. Having never participated in a double battle before, Andrew decides to also send out two partners, Butterfree and Pidgey. Grimer lets off a Sludge, and Butterfree uses Protect to cover both Pokemon from the attack. The female trainer then tells Zubat to use Bite, and the move lands on Pidgey. Taking advantage of the close range, Pidgey lets loose a very powerful Gust attack, and Butterfree follows suit. The two opponents are knocked back, and Butterfree then uses a Confusion on Grimer. The move is super effective and knocks out the Sludge Pokemon. Zubat tries a Wing Attack, but Pidgey beats him to the punch with a Quick Attack, and the tiny bat is also knocked out. The two mysterious trainers complain about plans being ruined, and hurry off on bicycles, leaving the strange machine behind. Realizing it is probably meant for something dastardly, Andrew has Pidgey and Butterfree destroy it.

He makes his way to the Cerulean Pokémon Center, and decides to send his two newly caught Pokémon to Professor Oak's Lab, choosing to continue growing the ones currently on hand. He leaves and notices a house not far with a gorgeous garden, overflowing with beautiful flowers. An elderly woman is outside and invites Andrew in for tea and a conversation. She asks him about plans for the future, where he is from and the like. As they talk, a Bulbasaur enters the room.

"Oh wow, is that yours?" Andrew asks.

"No, he isn't," a new woman replies, following behind the Seed Pokémon with a tray of cookies and Pokémon food. "Why don't you let your Pokémon out for a snack?" she says.

As his team enjoys the delicious food, the women explain to Andrew how they were given Bulbasaur after another young trainer brought him to them. She also had a Bulbasaur, and Andrew realized they must be speaking about Maggie. She had nursed him back to health while travelling through Mt. Moon a few days earlier, and they all assumed he had been abandoned there.

"Some trainers don't understand the importance of compassion for their partners," the first woman said. "He's been a very good house guest, but his place isn't here with us. He deserves to be with other Pokémon, growing strong." Watching the grass type interacting with his Charmeleon, Pidgey, Nidorino, and Butterfree, Andrew decides to offer Bulbasaur a spot on his team. Reluctant at first, Bulbasaur rejects the offer. Andrew then proposes they battle to give the Pokémon an idea of what sort of trainer he is, and Bulbasaur agrees. They exit to the backyard, where a large patch of grass stands out among the floral landscape. Bulbasaur waddles to one side, and Andrew takes the other, calling out Nidorino in the process. As a poison type, Andrew figured it would be the fairest matchup. Instantly, Bulbasaur uses a powerful Vine Whip attack. The move strikes Nidorino directly, then the Poison Pin Pokemon strikes back with Horn Attack. As Bulbasaur recovers, he launches off a Leech Seed attack, which begins to suck energy from Nidorino, recovering some of the grass type's health. Nidorino acts fast and uses Fury Attack – Bulbasaur dodges the first couple jabs, but is struck by the next few and seems to falter a bit. Nidorino then uses another Horn Attack, causing major damage. Bulbasaur, fighting against the want to quit, throws himself forward in a Tackle, and recovers more from the Leech Seed, but Nidorino is too quick and retaliates with another Fury Attack.

Andrew ends the battle there, but Bulbasaur is fighting against his exhaustion, trying to continue. Andrew walks to him and just as he approaches, Bulbasaur faints in his arms. He carries the Pokémon to the Center and stays while Nurse Joy heals him. When he wakes, he smiles at Andrew and uses his vine to point to a Pokéball on his belt. Andrew pulls it off and captures the grass type, thrilled about his new partner.

They continue to train on the outskirts of Cerulean City, where they discover a bridge filled with trainers. As Andrew makes his way through them all with relative ease, his Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto and Bulbasaur proves himself to be more than competent at battling. He catches a Bellsprout and Pikachu, both of which he sends to the Lab, and continues preparing his team for Misty. He knows these two would be of great help against water types, but chooses to focus on his current group to continue their growth. After spending a little less than a week in Cerulean, training and getting to know the locals, he heads to the Gym to challenge its leader. Two female swimmers battle him upon entry – the first using a powerful Goldeen and the second a Squirtle. It becomes clear to Andrew that these trainers focus heavily on special attack and less on defense, giving him ideas on how to approach the coming challenge.

Misty stands waiting on a floating disc. The entire battlefield is water, with several of these discs floating atop. "I don't pander to the needs of a challenger," she says. "This is my gym, and I go all out with my water types! It's up to you to maneuver both their strength and an unconventional battlefield. This will be a four on four battle. Good luck – you're gonna need it."

Misty begins the battle by sending out Horsea, a very small seahorse Pokémon. Andrew chooses Nidorino to begin, and Horsea attacks first with a Bubble. The move hits, and Nidorino retaliates with Horn Attack. The move does major damage, and Misty calls for Horsea to dive deep in the water. Nidorino is forced to wait, but as he does so, the disc he's on is blasted from under him with a powerful Water Gun. Nidorino is thrown into the air, but instead of panicking, he shoots off a powerful Poison Sting at the seahorse. Horsea is affected by this, but tries to recover quickly and let off another Bubble. Nidorino lands on a different disc and launches forward in a Fury Attack. The move stops every Bubble in its path and knocks out Horsea.

Misty recalls her first team mate. "Alright, so you're gonna go at it that way, huh? Well get ready for this!" She throws a second Pokéball and Goldeen soars into the pool. The Goldfish Pokémon goes directly for a Horn Attack, and the move strikes Nidorino hard, but the Poison pin gets one in, as well. Goldeen then uses Water Gun, which Nidorino dives to another disc, narrowly avoiding it. He uses a Double Kick, but Goldeen cushions the blows from the move with a Tail Whip, then uses Flail, knocking out Nidorino. Surprised at the physical strength of the water type, Andrew returns his Pokémon and calls for Butterfree. Right away, he has Butterfree use Mega Drain, which is super effective. Goldeen barely holds on, and manages to use another Flail. Due to the nature of the move, it deals massive damage. Andrew tries to status Goldeen with Sleep powder, but the fish dives deep into the pool to avoid it. She then comes soaring out and strikes with another Flail, while Butterfree uses Confusion, and the two Pokémon are both knocked out.

"Woah hoah!" Misty exclaims. "Seems my little Goldeen was a bit too much for your team! Too bad for you my last two are even stronger." Misty calls out Staryu, a Star shaped Pokémon with a glowing gem in the center of its body. Andrew sends Pidgeotto to the field, hoping the flying type will be able to keep things out of the water. Staryu begins the round with Swift, which is a direct hit on Pidgeotto, and the bird Pokémon responds with Quick Attack. Staryu is hit, but uses the momentum to hurl itself into the pool. It then shoots a Bubblebeam from below, striking Pidgeotto hard. Thinking fast, Andrew tells him to use Gust, but at the water, creating a massive whirlpool in the center. Staryu seems to get caught in the vortex, and Pidgeotto uses Sand Attack on top of it to completely limit the star fish's visibility. Misty calls out for a Water Gun, but the move misses by a long shot, and Pidgeotto swoops down and lands a direct Quick Attack, knocking Staryu out of the water. Misty tries another Water Gun, but Pidgeotto sends off a second Gust and the move stops the stream in its path, then strikes Staryu, knocking it out.

No longer talking the big game like before, Misty recalls Staryu and confidently sends out her last partner, Starmie. Bigger, faster, and overall stronger than its pre-evolved form, Starmie wastes no time and dives directly at Pidgeotto with a Rapid Spin. The move strikes, and Pidgeotto tries to use the close range for a powerful Gust attack. The Mysterious Pokémon begins to glow, however, and Misty tells it to use Psychic. Andrew tries to get Pidgeotto out of there, but the move hits hard and knocks him out. Recalling his trusty friend, Andrew knows he only has one choice left with this one. He throws the ball into the air and Bulbasaur bursts out, ready for anything.

"So you think typing is going to earn you the win, huh? We'll see about that! Rapid Spin!" Misty calls from the opposite side. Bulbasaur gains his footing on a disc, and just as the water-psychic dual type reaches him, he lets off a Vine Whip, stopping its spinning at once. The seed Pokémon then hurls Starmie across the battlefield, giving him time to launch a super powered Razor Leaf. Starmie is hit hard by the grass move, but Misty calls for Recover, and the star Pokémon is back at it.

"Now, Psychic," Misty calls, and the move makes direct contact. Knowing there is no other way to escape, Andrew has Bulbasaur jump into the water. Confused, Starmie follows, but just as it enters, Bulbasaur uses Leech Seed, and the move begins to slowly restore his health. The grass type then comes back to the surface, and Starmie tries a Water Gun from below. The move hits, but sends Bulbasaur onto another floating disc, where he waits. As Starmie re-emerges from the pool, he regains a bit of health from Leech Seed and lets out one last Razor Leaf, slamming Starmie directly and knocking it out, earning Andrew the win.

Surprised, but not upset, Misty meets Andrew in front of the Gym and hands him the Cascade Badge.

"Brock called to tell me about you. He said you're one of three trainers coming out of Pallet Town, and that we've not seen anything like you all in a while. Maggie and I battled a week ago. Of course she's got nearly all grass types so he and I didn't stand a chance when it comes to that. Your friend Trent actually battled me just yesterday, and I thought I was gonna get him, but he's quite a quick trainer! I had hopes you'd be easier, but I was wrong. I haven't battled that hard in a long time. Your team is incredibly balanced. Keep working toward that balance," she tells him, "and get yourself a water type!"

* * *

Andrew leaves the Cerulean Gym with Misty's words ringing in his head. Was she telling the truth? Were they really that talented, or were the leaders just getting worn out from all the battles? He spends the night at the Pokémon Center, and while he does so, he plans his next steps. Vermilion City is the next logical location, as it is south of Cerulean and contains another Gym Leader. The next morning, he goes to the northern cape one last time to visit Bill – a Pokémon scientist who is friends with Professor Oak. They talk evolution and battling, and Andrew shows him the strange fossil he found in Mt. Moon, which Bill tells him is that of an extinct Pokémon. As Andrew gets ready to leave, Bill hands him a ticket to the S.S. Anne, a fancy cruise ship for trainers. It leaves in a week from Vermilion Port for a twenty-year anniversary cruise, promising epic battles and other feats of wonder.

"Trainers from all over the world will be there. You should check it out! I'd go, but I'm not one for fancy do's," Bill tells him. He thanks him for the good conversation and the ticket, and Andrew goes on his way. As he is leaving the city, Misty catches up with him. "Hey!" she hollers. "Hey! Some guy came looking for you earlier. He said to give you this. It's a voucher from the bike shop. Not sure why, but you're awful lucky. Those things go for a bunch of money! Good luck with Surge… he's way more intense!" And with that, she leaves.

Andrew stops into the Bike Shop, turns in the voucher (wondering who gave it to him in the first place) and hops on his new bike down the road to Vermillion. He comes across Maggie assisting a sick Oddish, and stops to help her. Once they get the plant Pokémon back to health and with its family, Andrew asks Maggie if she would like a battle.

"Oh, okay! Yeah, I think that would be fun! Let's do two Pokémon each?" she suggests. Andrew agrees and sends out his first one – Butterfree. Maggie chooses a Weepinbell, a new type for Andrew to experience, and attacks first with Wrap. The move clutches the butterfly tight, but she manages to let off a powerful Psybeam attack for a super effective hit. Weepinbell is knocked back, but recovers quickly and lets off a rapid fire Razor Leaf. Butterfree counters with Gust, and the moves collide in the center. The flying type move is just enough to overpower, however, and Weepinbell is knocked out. Maggie recalls the Flycatcher Pokémon and sends out her second partner, a powerful looking Ivysaur.

"Awesome, your Bulbasaur evolved!" Andrew tells her.

"Mhmm, and Ivysaur is even stronger now! Let's show him!" Maggie orders a Take Down attack, which makes direct contact with Butterfree, and the bug type only barely recovers. Andrew calls for her to use Psybeam, and the move hits, but Ivysaur uses Mega Drain and the attack does just enough to knock out Butterfree. Andrew returns her, thanking her in the process, and sends out his Charmeleon. Knowing it isn't really fair, he is excited at the prospect that they are both battling with newly evolved partners.

"I'm not going to let typing get in the way of my win here," Maggie says. She orders Ivysaur to use Sleep Powder, and the move lands, placing Charmeleon in a snooze. Andrew tries waking him up, but Ivysaur lands a direct Take Down, followed by a Mega Drain attack. Finally, Charmeleon snaps back awake, and before Ivysaur can land another status-inducing move, he lets off a powerful Ember attack. He then uses a close range Slash, and the move does major damage to the plant Pokémon. Ivysaur recovers, and uses Vine Whip to strike back at Charmeleon, but the flame lizard is too fast for him and lands a final, powerful Dragon Rage attack, knocking out Ivysaur.

Maggie congratulates Andrew on his win, and they talk a bit about their respective battles with Misty. Andrew tells her about the Bulbasaur she found, and that he now has him on his team. Happy to hear this, Maggie asks to see him, and he and her Ivysaur enjoy lunch with the two while they continue catching up. Andrew finds out that Maggie will also be going on the S.S. Anne in a week. "My dad is pretty high up with PokéTech. They give him tickets to these kinds of things all the time!"

The two part ways – Andrew towards Vermilion and Maggie into the tall grass to continue helping more plant Pokémon. As he gets to the tunnel leading to Vermilion, he notices another grouping of strange characters, deep in discussion. He recognizes one of them – the woman he battled outside of Mt. Moon. She sees him, screams, and runs off. Two of the others turn to look and see Andrew.

"I'm not sure what you're doing, but it doesn't look very safe." Andrew suddenly realizes they are all huddled around a Pokemon that looks hurt. "Hey! Leave them alone!"

"Back off, jerk. You don't know what you're dealing with here," the burlier man says. He throws a Pokéball into the air and a Primeape is released. Having never battled one before, Andrew finds out it is a fighting Pokémon known for its hot temper. He sends out Bulbasaur and he uses Vine Whip. Primeape catches the vines midair and pulls the plant Pokémon in close. He then uses a powerful Karate Chop on him, and Bulbasaur is knocked back. Andrew commands Poison Powder, and Primeape seems to be affected by the status. Bulbasaur then uses a Take Down attack, and Primeape uses Counter, which deals double the damage back. Bulbasaur backs off, exhausted, and fires a Leech Seed, which slowly begins to restore his health. Primeape, now statused and seeded, is enraged, and the man calls for him to use Close Combat. Bulbasaur just barely dodges the attack, and lands one final Vine Whip, knocking out the Pig Monkey.

"Pathetic," the grunt says, returning his partner. "This one was useless anyway, getting knocked out the second I used an attack. We won't learn anything more about evolution from it," he continues, referencing the weakened Pokémon behind him. "Let's get out of here. This is a waste of our time."

The men hurry off on motorbikes and Andrew rushes to the Pokemon, which he has discovered is an Eevee – a very rare normal type capable of evolving into multiple different species. He scoops up the Eevee and carries it to a nearby Daycare Center. They spend the night there, recovering the weakened Pokémon and in the morning, Andrew goes to continue his trek. The Eevee, still recovering but much stronger than before, begins to follow him. Thinking it has family nearby, Andrew agrees to travel with it for a period of time. However, the Evolution Pokémon jumps onto his bag, finds a Pokéball and activates it, causing her to be caught. Surprised by this, Andrew sends her back out and discovers she is all alone, thereby wanting to travel with him on his journey. Happy with this, Andrew agrees to keep her on his team and train her so next time they meet the grunts, things will be different.

Andrew continues on his journey, battling many more trainers along the route to Vermilion. He reaches the city a couple days before the cruise leaves, so he decides to continue growing and expanding his team. He receives a fishing rod from a kind fisherman who lives by the water, and manages to battle and capture a powerful Krabby. Realizing this is his first water type, Andrew decides to transfer his Butterfree to Professor Oak's Lab and train the River Crab Pokémon. He also decides that he should try out the Gym Leader in town – Lt. Surge, a commander of electric types. Many of the locals warn Andrew that he has some intense power, but that only motivates him to train harder. Upon entry, Andrew realizes there are no trainers to face first, but a sort of riddle to solve. Before facing Surge, eager trainers had to keep their wits about them and figure out how to decode a series of electrical switches that opened a gate. Once open, the trainer can battle for the badge. If the trainer fails, they get a small electrocution that also affects one of their Pokémon.

Fortunately, it didn't take Andrew long to crack the code, using process of elimination and a good memory. Once the gate is discharged, Lt. Surge wastes no time in beginning the battle.

"Three on three. Let's go, kiddo!" he announces. A foreboding figure on his own, Lt. Surge - war vet with the tattoos and scars to prove it - sends out Voltorb, a Pokéball-looking electric type with insane speed. Andrew sends out Eevee, who has proven herself to be much more competent at battling than the grunts assumed. Voltorb moves first with Spark – the physical attack makes direct contact, and Eevee doubles back, launching a Swift. Voltorb tries to dodge, but the stars finally make contact and the electric Ball rolls back with a Rollout. Eevee uses Sand Attack and dodges the move, then uses Quick Attack to gain the upper hand. Lt. Surge then commands for his partner to use Self-Destruct, and the move is so powerful it knocks out both it and Eevee.

The two trainers recall their Pokémon and Surge sends out his Magneton – a three-part Magnet Pokémon and the evolved form of Magnemite. Andrew sends out Charmeleon, who instantly lets off a super effective Flamethrower. Magneton uses Harden, then a Sonicboom attack, which takes him aback. Charmeleon recovers, and uses a Slash, which lands a critical hit, and Magneton takes advantage of the close range to use Thunder Wave, which paralyzes his opponent. Thinking fast, Andrew recalls his partner and sends out Nidorino. Lt. Surge is unfazed by this and orders another Thunder Wave, but Nidorino dives underground in a Dig. He emerges, and slams the magnet with a direct hit, but Magneton fires off a high-powered Thunderbolt. Nidorino takes a moment to regain himself, then Andrew commands a Mega Kick, and he presses forward. Magneton tries to counter with a Sonicboom, but the Poison Pin Pokémon dodges the attack and lands a direct hit, knocking Magneton out.

Lt. Surge returns his second teammate, and without flinching calls for Raichu. The Electric Mouse is more than three times the size of its pre-evolution and this one in particular has a severely confident air about him. Surge requests a Mega Punch to start, and Andrew counters with Mega Kick. The two attacks meet, but Raichu's just overpowers Nidorino's.

"Use Dig, Nidorino," Andrew says. Raichu waits for him to resurface. The move hits, but the Poison type is immediately struck with a powerful Thunderbolt and is knocked out instantly. Surprised at how quickly he moves, Andrew brings back Nidorino and sends Charmeleon back out. Seemingly still paralyzed, the Flame lizard still looks ready for the battle. Andrew calls for Flamethrower, and Raichu uses Thunderbolt again. This time, however, Andrew has his partner sidestep the move and launch a second Flamethrower. The move hits, and Raichu falters. Charmeleon then goes in for a Slash attack, but Surge uses Andrew's own strategy against him and has Raichu sidestep the move, then slam him with Quick Attack. Confused and frustrated, Andrew calls for another Slash, but Raichu simply dodges the move again and uses Mega Punch. Afraid of the impending outcome, Andrew commands Charmeleon to stay still. He realizes the paralysis is causing a decrease in his agility, so Andrew waits for Raichu to use Thunderbolt, and then tells Charmeleon to use a Metal claw, with one hand in the air and the other in the ground. Charmeleon does so, and the tactic creates a sort of lightning rod. Surge, stunned, takes pause, and Andrew takes advantage of this, having Charmeleon fire off a high powered Flamethrower, doing just enough to knock out Raichu.

"I thought I had that one in the bag. In the decades I've been battling – both with Pokémon and people – I've never seen a move like that. Risky, for sure, but trusting of your partner. I like that. Congratulations – you've earned this." Lt. Surge hands him a Thunder Badge, and asks if he plans to continue on to Celadon. "As I'm sure you're aware by now – we just get harder and harder. Keep up the work you're doing though, and I think you'll be fine. Have fun on the cruise, kiddo!"


	2. A New Rival

As the day approaches for the S.S. Anne to embark – a three-day ordeal with a battle tournament on board – Andrew discovers Trent will also be in attendance, along with Maggie. They all meet up, board together and sign up for the cruise-wide tournament, excited for this new adventure.

"I don't really think we have a chance - but oh well!" Maggie says.

"Speak for yourself! I'm going for the win here!" Trent boasts confidently.

"Trainers here have been battling for years. We've been at this a few months! Do you really think you're going to be able to beat them so easily?" Maggie retorts.

"I'm just excited to watch them. I heard this ship is the best spot to see some serious battling." Andrew says. "I'll be happy to make it through just a couple rounds if I can."

"Pssh. Bring 'em on. I'm ready for anything," Trent responds.

The three find their rooms, and meet back on the upper deck to watch the boat embark from the port. A party of sorts is being thrown to commemorate the event, and Andrew sees a small group of trainers hanging out close by. One of them catches his eye, a man a few years older than he, laughing along with the group, watching the sun set slowly over the horizon. He turns and catches Andrew watching him, but Andrew quickly looks away, pretending to be fully engaged in his conversation with Maggie and Trent.

That night, the first match-ups are revealed for the next mornings' battles. Andrew will be facing an older woman named Marie. She comes to find him and wishes him luck on their battle. "I hope you're okay with facing an old-timer!" she laughs. "I've only just begun training Pokémon, so take it easy on me." She winks at him, then walks away. Unsure whether she is telling the truth, Andrew walks off excited for this new challenger.

Andrew goes to bed, thinking of the man from the deck and about the upcoming tournament. He tosses and turns, questioning the events from the night, and awakens groggy and nervous. He finds Maggie planning her team over breakfast, as she will be battling at the same time as Andrew.

"I'm on the lower field. I think you're on the upper deck. Jeez, I'm nervous…" Maggie admits to Andrew that she recently lost her first major battle. "Against _Erica…_ I felt so stupid - I admire her so much and just want her to approve of me, a fellow Grass trainer after all…" She trails off.

Andrew consoles her. "I'm sure you didn't embarrass yourself or anything. I just battled Surge, and he told me they only get harder as you progress. And Misty said we had true talent… I don't think she says that to everyone. Besides, if we didn't lose every now and then, we'd lose appreciation for winning."

"Thanks, Andrew. Hey, shouldn't you be prepping for your match?"

Andrew, barely a bite into his breakfast, realizes his first battle begins in less than 10 minutes and he rushes off to the upper deck. As he takes the steps three at a time, he decides on the three Pokémon he plans to use, and makes it just in time to see Marie already in place, laughing.

"I thought you were about to forfeit, kiddo! Here I was, planning all the free time I was about to have this morning!" She chuckles again, and the referee steps onto a platform placed to the left of the field.

"Three Pokémon each! This is a single elimination tournament, substitutions are allowed, and in the result of a tie, each trainer will call forth one more team member to decide the winner."

He tosses a coin, and Marie wins the toss, requesting Andrew send his Pokémon out first. Still slightly frazzled, but more confident than before, he sends out Charmeleon. Marie throws a Black Pokéball into the air and a Gengar emerges. Checking the Pokédex, Andrew discovers this is a Ghost/Poison dual-type, and the final evolution of Ghastly.

"Fancy Dex ya got there. Won't help you any with strategy though," Marie winks and commands Gengar to use Night Shade. The Shadow Pokémon moves quick and fires off a powerful blast from his two red eyes. Charmeleon takes the hit, then lets loose a Fire Spin, hoping to trap the speedy Ghost in a vortex of flames. Gengar - seemingly unfazed by the tower of fire, uses Shadow Ball, and Charmeleon only just manages to shift out of the way. He goes for a Dragon Rage, and again the move strikes, but everything only seems to pass through Gengar with little to no effect. Anxiety-ridden, Andrew calls for Flamethrower, and Marie laughs.

"Hypnosis, Gengar!" He phases himself through the flames and his eyes glow a deep purple, lulling the Fire Lizard to sleep. "Now, Dream Eater!"

Moving quick, Andrew recalls Charmeleon, barely missing the energy-sapping move. Frustrated with himself, he realizes these trainers aren't Gym Leaders or friends - they are true competitors looking to prove their strength to their peers. They aren't here to teach him anything or assist him with learning more about the world of Pokémon; they want what he begins to realize he wants, as well - to be the best.

He sends out Krabby, knowing he is new to his team, but has proven to be an adept battler with some serious attack power.

"Mud Shot!" Andrew commands. The River Crab fires off a barrage of muddy bombs. Gengar swerves to dodge, but is caught by a bit of the move, slowing him slightly. Marie calls for Hypnosis, and Krabby uses Protect, then follows with Crabhammer. The move makes direct contact, and takes both Gengar and Marie aback. He then uses a close-range Mud Shot, and the Shadow Pokémon is knocked out.

Regaining confidence, Andrew smiles. "There it is! He told me you were fiery - now I'm starting to see it," Marie says, her smile never faltering. He? Andrew thinks - who is she talking about? "No time to waste. Golem, you're up hon!" A massive boulder-like Pokémon appears in front of Krabby. Knowing this is the final evolution of Geodude, Andrew is confused at the use of a Pokémon extremely weak to Water moves.

"Krabby, let's make this quick! Crabhammer!"

"Fissure!" Marie shouts, and the Megaton Pokémon ducks, dodging Krabby's move and slams both arms into the ground, smashing it to pieces, and instantly knocking out the River Crab.

Shocked at the quick turn, Andrew recalls his teammate and takes a step back.

"You didn't actually believe me yesterday, did you?" Marie asks Andrew tauntingly. "I've been training since before your parents were born. Now c'mon, who's your third choice? Or are you gonna fall back on your sleeping Charmeleon?"

Knowing the obvious option being the Grass-type Bulbasaur, he knows she still has one other Pokémon left, and with Charmeleon asleep, he begins to think more critically.

"Let's go, Pidgeotto!" Aware of the major type disadvantage at play, Andrew sees the risk. He trusts his team, however, and knows the Flying-type has some tricks up his sleeve.

"Bold move, son. Rock Slide, Golem!" Marie, wasting no time, commands the move with confidence, not arrogance. Golem hurls massive boulders towards Pidgeotto, and Andrew tells him to fly high, narrowly missing each. He then swoops back down and uses Sand Attack, hoping to limit his foes visibility. "Now, Steel Wing!" Golem, fighting through the sand, is struck by the super-effective move.

"Now, Golem! Seismic Toss!" Golem reaches high and grabs the bird by the wings. He jumps into the air and begins to spin rapidly, dizzy, Pidgeotto has seemingly no escape, and just as the Rock-type lets go, Andrew commands Air Slash. Pidgeotto opens his eyes, spots the ground, and just before making contact, sends slashes of quick air below, causing enough blow-back to cushion the fall. "Now, Steel Wing go!" He turns, sees Golem preparing for another Rock Slide and charges forward, wings outstretched. The move makes direct contact, and Golem stammers back, finally falling to the ground, unable to continue. Pidgeotto, exhausted, looks back at his trainer with modest confidence.

No longer laughing, Marie looks far more serious than before. "I'm not about to lose in the first round to a novice. No, I've still got plenty of fight left, trust me." She throws her Pokéball into the air and a Snorlax emerges. The massive Normal-type is not snoozing, as he appears in the photo on Andrew's Pokédex, but standing tall, ready for battle. "Body Slam, Snorlax!"

The sleepy giant hurls its body into the air, then comes down fast, aimed directly above the bird. No longer clouded by anxiety or frustration, Andrew acts fast. "Run, Pidgeotto!" he commands. The bird, without thinking, sprints to the left, only just missing the mass of Pokémon crashing into the deck next to him. "Now, Air Slash, on the ground below Snorlax!" Hovering just about the battlefield, Pidgeotto obeys and slashes the air, sending bursts directly below Snorlax.

"Snorlax, Hyper Beam!" Marie, seeing what he is attempting, moves quickly, and her partner responds accordingly, sending bursts of light from his eyes, knocking out Pidgeotto in one hit. Returning him, Andrew thanks Pidgeotto - "you've done so well, get some rest. Alright Charmeleon, here we go!" He sends the slumbering Lizard onto the field. "Funny, isn't it? I thought Snorlax was known to be the one to sleep through battles." Andrew risks a joke in this tense moment, and Marie cracks a small smile.

"Clever kid. Snorlax, Body Slam now!" the huge Normal-type jumps high and comes straight for Charmeleon, just as he did with Pidgeotto. Knowing he has no choice but to let the move land, Andrew waits. It does, and Charmeleon immediately snaps awake from the force. "Welcome to the party, Charmeleon! Use Fire Spin all around the both of you!" Charmeleon forces himself out from under Snorlax, then surrounds them both in flames. The field, seeming to sink slightly, takes the brunt of the attack. "Now, Dragon Rage!"

"Snorlax, Mega Punch!" Charmeleon's move is powerful, but is stifled by the force of the punch.

"Dodge, quick!" Andrew screams, and Charmeleon only just misses the punch which makes contact with the deck below them. Finally collapsing under the pressure of the massive Pokémon and constant barrage of attacks, Andrew takes advantage of the chaos. "Finish him - Flamethrower!" Charmeleon lets off the move, and Snorlax - no time to retaliate or dodge - takes the move head-on and is knocked out.

"The battle is over! Andrew is the winner and will be moving on to the second round," the referee announces. Thrilled, Andrew gives Charmeleon a big hug. An Alakazam and Slowbro enter the deck and begin using Psychic to repair the field. Marie walks over to Andrew. "Blue said he thought you'd be destined for greatness. Don't let that go to your head, of course. I see it though." She pauses, realizing Andrew is confused by this. "He's my son - Blue. Professor Oak? His grandfather - my father - was the famed Pokémon researcher. I didn't want to follow that path, so my husband and I decided to become trainers. Happy to see Blue back in the lab, however - he's always seemed to have a knack for that sort of thing."

She congratulates Andrew on his win, and walks away. Andrew decides to check in on Maggie, only to discover her battle is already over. "Oh, I didn't stand a chance. I faced this guy, Randall, and he only used _one_ Pokémon against me. But it's okay!" She adds, when she sees Andrew's concerned look, "I learned a bunch and remembered what you said. Now I'm even more determined to win the next one." She asks about his match, and he tells her he won, beating Professor Oak's mother in the process. Marie tells Andrew that she was revolutionary in the world of female trainers. "She was the first to beat Lance, you know… The Dragon Master? The leader of the Kanto Elite Four? A legend, that one." Andrew, feeling confident, but more terrified than ever for the remaining challengers, asks when Trent's first battle will be.

"I think he's about to start, actually. Wanna go watch?" They head to the mezzanine battlefield, where they find the battle has already begun. Trent, using a powerful-looking Fearow is facing the trainer Andrew saw the night before at the party.

"Hey, do you know who that guy is?" Andrew asks Maggie casually.

"I think his name's Mac? I heard some of the other trainers talking about him. Seems to be a real up and comer."

Andrew watches the battle closely. The unknown trainer, Mac, calls first for a powerful Poliwrath, which despite a type disadvantage, overpowers both Trent's Fearow and Tangela, before falling to his Wartortle.

"Scyther, you're on!" the Bug/Flying dual type comes speeding out if its Pokéball. "Slash!" The Pokémon moves at incredible speed and before Trent is even able to get a command in, the move lands a critical hit.

"Wartortle, Hydro Pump now!" The turtle retreats to his shell and spins rapidly, explosive jets of water flying everywhere. Mac calls for Double Team, and the field is suddenly filled with duplicate Scythers. "Now, X-Scissor!" the bugs come swarming forward and the real one reveals itself just behind Wartortle. Its scythes glow bright and the move scores another direct hit, knocking out the Water-type. The ref announces the end of the battle, and Mac crosses the field, smiling and shaking Trent's hand, thanking him for the battle.

Trent, looking disheartened, meets up with Andrew and Maggie.

"So… clearly I was wrong…" He pauses. "You both lost, too, right?"

Maggie confirms this, and Andrew stays silent. "You didn't… Did you win?!" Trent is in shock.

"I know. I'm just as surprised as you are," Andrew responds. "I've never battled so hard in my life."

"Well, congrats man. That's wild. When's your next battle?" Trent asks. The three go to the main lobby and check the screen with the current standings. It reveals that 16 trainers are left in the competition and Andrew has his next battle that night, against Mac.

"Hah! Good luck with that one. He's super intense," Trent exclaims. "Pretty nice though."

"And handsome," Maggie adds. "What?" she says, after seeing Trent's face. "He is. And he's clearly talented. Apparently he's related to a really famous Champion from a while ago."

"Which one?" Trent asks.

"I think his name is Lysandre? I haven't heard of him before. From the Kalos region."

"Isn't he the guy who got mixed up with the wrong crowd and caused a war or something?" Trent questions. Andrew, staying silent through all of this, zones out of their conversation - he can only think of his upcoming match. Having watched most of the last one, he knows Mac is an incredibly skilled battler, using only two Pokémon against Trent, and working at a type disadvantage for most of it. He recovers his team from the previous match at the on-board Center, and spends the afternoon on the upper deck of the boat planning. A battle is happening not far off, and he walks over to check it out. Immediately, he recognizes the trainer in black as one of the grunts from the run-in with Eevee. Commanding a powerful Golbat, he faces a young woman struggling with control over her Ninetales.

"C'mon Ninetales, snap out of it!" Confused, the many-tailed fox slaps itself in the face over and over again.

"Now Golbat, Air Cutter!" The big-mouthed bat sends slashes of air at the fox, and the Fire-type is knocked out.

"The match has ended! Grant is the winner and will proceed to the third round," the referee announces. Both trainers recall their Pokémon and shake hands, a menacing look in Grant's eye. He sees Andrew watching and smiles, then walks in the other direction. Just as he's about to follow him, Andrew feels a tap on his shoulder. Mac is standing there, smiling. "Hey," he says, "I saw you last night on the deck, at the party? And I got to watch the beginning of your match with Marie. I'm excited for ours tonight."

"Oh," Andrew stammers. "Er.. Yeah, that was tough.. I mean, it was fine.. Yeah, thanks.. Me too." Unsure the origin of these nerves, he looks away, embarrassed. Mac smiles, and wishes him luck, then walks off. Andrew continues to plan for the battle, even more nervous than before.

* * *

Evening comes and Andrew and Mac are slated to battle on the lower deck field. Maggie and Trent are in the audience, excited for the upcoming battle. The two trainers enter the field to see a fair few people have gathered to watch, including the suspicious Grant. Andrew wins the coin toss, and opts to choose second. The two take their spots and the referee announces the beginning of the battle.

"Let's do it, Dodrio!" A three-headed bird emerges from the Pokéball, primed and ready for battle. Andrew calls for Nidorino, then commands for Ice beam. Dodrio jumps quickly out of the way, then soars high into the air. "Now, Bounce!" Mac says confidently. The Triple-Bird comes down quick and lands the attack, causing Nidorino to falter a bit. "Tri-Attack!" the command comes effortlessly, and Dodrio has already begun initiating the Normal-type move before the words are fully out of Mac's mouth. "Use Dig!" Andrew yells, and Nidorino quickly burrows underground to avoid the move.

"Uproar!" Mac calls, and Dodrio begins to make the worst cacophony Andrew's ever heard. Nidorino emerges from below, distrubed by the sound, and gives Dodrio the chance to land a second Tri-Attack. Barely recovering, Nidorino uses another Ice Beam, and this time the move strikes his foe, slowing the bird slightly. Dodrio moves towards Nidorino in an effort to use Drill Peck, its three beaks coming together and spinning threateningly, but Nidorino slides below the Pokémon's legs, and lands a well-placed Horn Attack. Not to be outdone, Mac calls for another Uproar and the move does just enough to throw the Poison Pin Pokémon off his groove, knocking him out.

Andrew returns him and takes pause. Dodrio is incredibly fast, and it's clear he has a strong bond with his trainer. He throws his second Pokéball into the air and Eevee is released. He catches sight of Grant smirking, and is excited to prove to him how strong this Evolution Pokémon really is. Dodrio is already preparing another Uproar, but Andrew has Eevee use Protect, blocking her from the horrid sound. Eevee then uses Swift, and Mac tries to get Dodrio to Bounce out of the way, but the stars eventually make contact.

"Tri-Attack, Dodrio!" The three beaks begin to create the move, and Andrew calls for another Swift to counter directly. The moves collide, but Dodrio's is too powerful and hits Eevee. The small Pokémon falters, but gathers her strength and uses a high-powered Take Down, taking down the Triple-Headed Bird. Exhausted but proud, Eevee turns and sees Andrew beaming.

"Nice work. But I never underestimate a challenger," Mac says. He throws a second Pokéball into the air and a stunning Rapidash emerges. Checking the Pokédex, Andrew discovers this is the evolution of Ponyta and is known for its speed and desire to constantly compete with others, causing it to be difficult to train. "Flare Blitz, Rapidash!" The Fire Horse charges at lightning speed, its body becoming cloaked in burning red flames. Andrew shouts for Protect, and Eevee manages to just set up the defense.

"Now, Dig!" Eevee immediately dives underground, then re-emerges below Rapidash, scoring a direct hit. Mac, however, looks prepared for this and commands a Stomp, which lands a critical hit and knocks Eevee out. Stunned at the expediency of this, Andrew recalls his teammate, and without thinking throws his third Pokéball into the air. Krabby takes the field, and looks ready for anything. Andrew calls for Mud Shot, and Mac counters with Fire Blast. Krabby, ready for the Fire-type move, pauses before launching the move, and sidesteps the flaming X, then launches the Ground-type move. It strikes, and Mac looks impressed. He then calls for Rapidash to use Horn Drill. Andrew, knowing he only has one option against this, calls for Guillotine. The two Pokémon move as if they are in a dance, and it is unclear which one-hit-k.o. move struck first, until Krabby smiles slightly and Rapidash falls to the ground. Absolutely shocked, Andrew beams at Krabby, who begins to glow and evolves into Kingler. Nearly tripling in size, the Pincer Pokémon looks even more confident than its pre-evolved form, thirsty for more competition.

"Well hey! Congrats, Andrew. That's always exciting - an evolution mid-battle," Mac says from across the field. "How about we even the odds, eh?" He throws his final Pokéball and a Cloyster is revealed. An ice-water dual type, Andrew knows this is the evolution of the Bivalve Pokémon, Shellder. Andrew commands for Kingler to use Stomp, and the crab launches himself at his opponent. Mac commands for Cloyster to use Withdraw, causing an increase in his physical defenses. Kingler's move hits, but doesn't seem to do much. He then tries a Crabhammer, but the move also does little. Mac waits, then tells Cloyster to use Spike Cannon. The large Bivalve reveals its dark face and launches rapid-fire spikes from the horn on its shell. They make contact, annoying Kingler, and he tries a Mud Shot, unprompted by Andrew.

"Kingler, wait till I give you a command!" Andrew shouts, but the Pokémon continues acting out, trying to land attack after attack. Mac is having Cloyster continue to use Withdraw, causing the moves to be near ineffective.

"Now Cloyster, Blizzard!" As Kingler goes for another Crabhammer, Cloyster again re-opens, only this time accompanied by a massive blast of cold air and snow. Kingler is knocked back, and Mac calls for a final Spike Cannon, landing a direct hit and knocking out Kingler.

"The battle has ended - the winner is Mac, who will be moving on to the third round!" the ref announces. The audience cheers, and Andrew looks both defeated and confused. Why did Kingler stop obeying him like that?

Mac meets him in the middle of the field. "Great match, man. You're quite a good trainer."

"Hah, thanks… but a good trainer would know how to control his Pokémon better than that." Andrew can't make eye contact with his opponent. He quickly shakes his hand, then walks off, embarrassed. Exhausted and unable to process all that just happened, he takes his team to Nurse Joy and goes to bed. He doesn't want to interact with anyone, especially Maggie and Trent. The next morning, he wakes to a knock on the door - Nurse Joy has brought his Pokémon back, and Andrew asks her why she thinks his Kingler stopped listening to him.

"Pokémon are incredibly complex creatures. We use them as tools in battle, but we also need to remember that they are also partners who have minds of their own and - in the world we're living in - we need them to survive," the nurse smiles, and walks off. He sends Nidorino and Eevee out of their Pokéballs and thanks them for the battle, apologizing for the loss. Eevee cuddles him close and Nidorino gives him a reassuring nuzzle. He thinks about bringing Kingler out for this moment, as well, but opts against it, worried something might happen.

After breakfast, Andrew meets back up with Trent.

"Where's Maggie?" Andrew asks. Trent laughs and points to a table not far off. She is sitting with Mac, deep in conversation.

"I think someone's a bit smitten," teases Trent. "I'll admit, though: the guy is a pretty great battler - neither of us were able to handle him, huh?" Andrew's stomach turns slightly, thinking back to the night before. Why does this person make him feel so uneasy? He realizes it is his first time ever losing a battle - but that isn't what is bothering him. He sees Mac catch his eye again, and not wanting a repeat of their last two interactions, he provides a quick excuse to Trent and leaves the deck.

As he stands looking over the bow of the boat, he replays the last few months over and over in his head. Beating Brock, Misty, and Lt. Surge now seemed so simple and mundane; why? He feels confident in his team and _felt_ like he was making good progress - what changed?

"Hey," a voice from behind snaps Andrew back to reality.

"Aren't there any other people on this boat?" Andrew mumbles.

"What was that?" Mac half-smiles, but Andrew refuses to make direct eye contact with him. "Okay, I can leave you alone if you want. I just figured… well… actually I don't want to leave you alone."

Andrew finally looks up. He feels his stomach drop again, only differently this time. "Sorry," Andrew responds, taking a half step back. "I think I'm just still processing things. Last nights' battle was… weird for me."

"Maggie says you've never lost before. Is that true?"

"Er - yeah. It is. I've also never lost control of one of my Pokémon before..." his insides feel hot for some reason.

"Oh, that happens," Mac says, almost laughing. "When Rapidash evolved, it took almost a month for me to get her trust back. We lost one match right after the evolution and I didn't think she'd ever forgive me. But she did, and now she's one of my constants."

He reaches out and touches Andrew's arm. As if struck by electricity, Andrew jerks away.

"Sorry, just trying to make you feel better," Mac's smile fades. "Listen, I was a beginning trainer not too long ago. I know how you feel. You've got something, though - I can feel it. And I can't wait to battle again soon." He goes to leave.

"Thanks," Andrew says finally. Mac turns and smiles, then walks off.


	3. Attack on the SS Anne

That afternoon, Grant takes on the trainer Maggie faced in the first round - Randall - and beats him handily, using a high-leveled Exeggutor to finish off his opponent's Jolteon. Mac also wins his afternoon battle - skillfully using Rapidash's famed speed to take down a limber Persian - and it is announced that he will face off against Grant in the second Semi-Final round that evening. The ship is all abuzz with excitement over the last two match-ups - the first being on the mezzanine level and the latter happening under a starlit sky on the upper deck.

As the other trainers file in and take their seats, Andrew hangs back a bit. After his earlier match, Andrew watched Grant converse with another trainer on the boat, one that hadn't entered the competition. They seemed to be planning something, and the only thing he could make out them saying was about "the Big Boss" and "PokéTech's new reveal." After that, they separated ways. Now, as the first semi-finalists prepare to face off, Andrew decides to use this time and investigate further.

He checks the upper deck, but there isn't a soul in sight. He expects this - everyone is down at watching the match. As he walks through the halls of the lower level cabins, he hears hushed discussion coming from a room to his right, a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging from the knob. He stops, and again hears mention of PokéTech and their latest discovery.

"He's not planning on releasing it tonight though, is he?" one of the voice murmurs. Andrew is now standing right at the door, ear pressed close. "Probably not till tomorrow," said another. "He's gonna throw it tonight to make sure we have proper time."

Confused, Andrew takes a step back, and just as he does so, he sees Nurse Joy rounding the corner. "Oh, hello Andrew! Isn't your room upstairs?" she says loudly. He hears scuffling from the room next to him, and he quickly lunges towards the nurse.

"Hi, Joy! Let's go for a walk, shall we?" he redirects her back down the hallway from which she came, and once around the corner, he asks, "you haven't heard any suspicious activity happening on the ship, have you?"

"I'm not quite sure what you mean?" she questions, concerned. Andrew, also not sure of what he's asking, presses forward. "That guy battling tonight - Grant. I've met him before, only last time, he was torturing an Eevee - _my_ Eevee."

"That's awful," Joy replies, disgusted.

"I know - and ever since he came on the ship, he's been meeting with various people, talking about 'Big Boss' and PokéTech and other things I don't really understand." Andrew is speaking quickly, hushed; he knows the other grunts will be leaving the room soon.

Nurse Joy takes a second, then says, "I know PokéTech has been teasing the release of some new gadget - an updated version of the Pokétch or something - but I haven't heard of anything malicious attached to it. Are you sure you heard correctly?"

During this last sentence, Andrew hears a door open in the corridor behind them, and many bodies shuffling out of a room.

"We can talk more about this later, if you don't mind," Andrew says, "just please don't say anything to anyone else about this."

"Of course," she responds. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should get some rest."

"I'm fine!" Andrew says, too happily as he backs away. "I'll talk to you soon."

As he turns the opposite corner, he nearly runs directly into Mac.

"What are you doing down here?" Andrew asks accusingly.

"Um, my room is down here?" he states. "What are _you_ doing down here?"

"Sorry -" Andrew says. "It's complicated. Um, yeah. Nevermind, good luck on the match tonight," He stops, then adds quietly, "and be careful, please. That guy Grant freaks me out."

Mac looks at Andrew for a while. _Does he know something?_ Andrew thinks. "Yeah, will do," Mac replies finally. "I know Grant - don't worry, he doesn't scare me. But thank you for the concern, it does mean a lot." At this, he again reaches out and touches Andrew's arm. This time, however, he doesn't jerk back, but lets it happen. Mac gives him another smile and lets go, then walks off.

Andrew's heart is racing. His emotions have been put in a blender and now he is left feeling more disoriented than ever. He focuses, and walks back to the mezzanine battlefield to check in on the match. As he enters, he sees a majestic Arcanine taking on a massive Kangaskhan. Andrew stops thinking about the other happenings for just a minute and is engrossed in the battle happening in front of his eyes. Both trainers are down to their final teammates, and are fighting hard for the win. Serena, the trainer with Arcanine, commands a Fire Blast, and the move soars across the field. Tracy - Kangaskhan's trainer - commands for Protect, and the Parent Pokémon manages to block the attack, then let loose a high-powered Mega Kick. Just as Arcanine seems to be out of it, Serena tells him to use Reversal - a Fighting move that increases its power when the Pokémon is at low health - and it does just enough to knock out its opponent, securing the win for Serena.

The trainers shake hands and the audience roars in approval. Andrew - sad he missed the rest of the battle - immediately went to find Maggie and Trent to discuss what had just transpired.

"Well, way to ruin the surprise!" Maggie says, after he explains how Nurse Joy responded to his questions. "I was going to give them to you tomorrow as a present, seeing as it is being announced to the world after the Final. But now that you already know," Maggie reaches into her bag and pulls out two, brand new, state-of-the-art Pokétchs. "They're amazing. Dad's been working on them for over a year. Built in holo-phone, instant access to your battle records, full recording capabilities, and - get this - complete access to your Pokémon storage."

"Wait, what?!" Trent is in awe. "What does that mean? Like, I can just put in whichever Pokémon I want that I've caught and it will transfer to me, on the spot?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Maggie replies. "The caveat is that the person storing your extra Pokémon must also have one, but I know the Professor has one on order, so that won't be an issue for us."

"Maggie, this is an amazing gift," Andrew says, staring at the watch-like item. "Are you sure we can't do anything to pay you for these or -" Maggie stops him.

"Dad was thrilled when I passed the test - I'm the first in my family to be a trainer, and when I met you guys, he was even happier that he knew I wasn't on this journey alone." She looks near tears. "I'm the youngest of six. None of my siblings were able to get through the screening process, so the fact that I'm even here now is incredible. So I think for him, this is his way of giving back," she smiles. "So just accept them and be happy!"

The boys laugh and thank her heartily. Maggie responds again to Andrew's question. "I know a bunch of PokéTech workers are on board preparing, since the world-wide release will be happening tomorrow morning. That's probably what you overheard. They're doing a broadcast of the final match-up and as the award, the winner gets their very own customized Pokétch! It's even nicer than these," she adds. "Ours are the basic model, but they're still top of the line."

Andrew, pacified by this but only slightly, goes back to his room to refresh before the night battle. He is excited to watch the two trainers go at it, but nervous at the same time. He knows what Maggie said is probably true, but he also cannot deny what he saw just a few weeks prior - Grant torturing Eevee for information on Grant is one of those people working for PokéTech, at what lengths are they going to further their scientific advances? He looks at the new watch on his arm and presses a button on the side. A cool, female voice speaks.

"Calibrating - hello, Andrew. With what can I help you?" The voice is so human-like, it makes him afraid.

"Uh, hi…"

"You may call me Eve."

"Okay, hey Eve. Is there a way to turn off the talking function?"

"Voice command deactivated. You may reactivate from the holo-screen if you wish. Or simply say, _``Reactivate Eve._"

A projected touch screen appears hovering over the watch.

"Woah.." Andrew is in awe of how advanced this is. He scrolls through the main menu - a world clock, current weather, and list of contacts pop up first. Maggie and Trent are already programmed in, as well as Professor Oak, the voice command Eve, and a final, unknown number at the bottom, with a lock next to it. He tries to click this last number, but it remains locked and untouchable. Deciding to leave it for now, he sees on the side a second button, and when he clicks it, he audibly gasps. A list of all the Pokémon he's caught pops up - those on his current team highlighted in gold. He clicks on one, Charmeleon, and a 3-dimensional rendering of his Charmeleon appears, complete with statistics and a full list of his move history - again his current moveset listed in gold.

Charmeleon pops out of his Pokéball and sees the 3D version of himself, surprised.

"I know, right? This thing is crazy…" Andrew says to his partner. He swipes his hand and the next Pokémon appears in projected form, Bulbasaur.

"Char…" Charmeleon seems just as intrigued by the technology in front of them. He points to Bulbasaur's Pokéball on his belt, then to the projection.

"Yeah, this isn't actually Bulbasaur - it's like a different form of him. Not real," he adds. "This apparently keeps track of everything I've caught. Although I thought that's what you were for…" He pulls out his Pokédex and examines it. The Fire Lizard is sitting with Andrew, watching him intently, looking again from the hologram to the Pokéball and back. He references the watch, "I guess this stores only information on _me_ and my team, and _this_" he refers to the Pokédex, "stores more general information."

Andrew presses a third button on the opposite side and the words _Pokémon Transfer - Coming_ _Soon!_ appear. "I guess they're waiting to release that feature till these are a little more popular," he says aloud. Charmeleon smiles at his trainer, and this makes Andrew laugh. "You don't care about any of this, do you? How about we go watch some battling, huh?" He keeps Charmeleon out of his Pokéball and they walk to the upper deck, catching up with Maggie and Trent and sitting together - excited for this penultimate battle. As they wait, Trent tells them how amazing the Pokétch is, and how he loves how he can just talk to it and it will give him information on whatever he needs. "It can even let me know how a Pokémon's size compares to others of the same type, and how that can help or hurt it in battle."

"I told you," Maggie said, "they're pretty useful."

"I don't know how I've existed without it till now!" Trent exclaims.

Andrew and Maggie laugh, but the giggles are stifled by everyone around them. Mac walks onto the field to a roar of applause and cheers. Grant follows shortly after - also to the audience's excitement, and the referee announces the beginning of the match. Mac chooses first, sending out Dodrio. Grant throws a jet black Pokéball high into the air and a Hypno appears. He immediately commands a Hypnosis, but Mac is already countering with Uproar. The Triple Bird begins its raucous, and Hypno's move is rendered useless. Dodrio then uses Tri-Attack and Hypno uses Psychic to stop the move in its tracks. He then distorts the three-part attack and sends it flying back to its caster. Dodrio tries to jump out of the way, but it strikes hard.

Andrew has never seen a move used like this before, takes note of it. Hypno then attempts a second Hypnosis and this time, succeeds in placing Dodrio asleep. He then tells him to use Dream Eater, and the move begins to suck the life out of its opponent. Mac waits, and then yells, "Alright Dodrio, time to wake up!" and somehow, this works. The Dodo Bird snaps awake, and Mac calls again, "Drill Peck!" In a blur, the three heads all strike Hypno at once with spinning beaks, throwing the Hypnosis Pokémon across the field. "Now, Bounce!" Dodrio then jumps high into the night sky, and comes soaring down, knocking out Grant's first Pokémon.

"Come back, Hypno," Grant calls, and replaces the Pokéball on his belt. He pulls a second one off and throws it without another word. Golbat appears, and instantly he yells, "Confuse Ray!" The giant bat's eye's glow lavender, and Dodrio is instantly confused.

"Focus, Dodrio! Uproar!" Mac calls to his teammate, but it goes unheard. Dodrio's three heads begin fighting with one another, pecking and cawing madly. Grant waits, watching in amusement for a moment, then he calls for Golbat to use Sludge Bomb. Masses of toxic sludge are shot from his gaping mouth and Dodrio, no defenses left, faints. Mac recalls him, "it's your turn, Rhyhorn!" A massive Rock/Ground hybrid is released, landing hard on the battlefield. "Take Down, go!" Mac commands. Without missing a beat, the Spikes Pokémon charges forward with surprising speed. Grant calls for Confuse Ray again, but Rhyhorn seems unaffected, completely focused on its target. His move lands and Golbat soars backwards, only just catching itself at the bow of the boat.

"Sludge Bomb, Golbat! Do it now!" Grant shrieks. The bat launches its move, but Mac has already called for Stone Edge, and massive boulders are rising from the field, creating a physical wall around Rhyhorn and again striking Golbat for a critical hit. Angry, Grant screams for Golbat to use Giga Drain, and the move lands, sucking health from Rhyhorn. Not to be outdone, Mac yells for his teammate to use Horn Drill, and Rhyhorn fights off the super-effective move and hurls its enormous body at the big-mouthed bat, its horn glowing scarlet. It makes contact, and Golbat instantly faints.

"Whaa," Grant looks flustered and downright furious at this point. He again wastes no time and throws his final Pokéball, this time releasing Primeape - a Pokémon Andrew recognizes from when he rescued Eevee. Grant commands Close Combat and the Fighting-type pummels Rhyhorn with his gloved fists. Unable to withstand the attack, Rhyhorn is knocked out. Mac keeps his cool, however, and sends out his last Pokémon - Scyther. Grant screams for Primeape to use Thunderpunch, and Mac asks for a Double Team. In an instant, the battlefield is filled with false Scythers and a confounded Primeape in the center.

"Slash, Scyther!" the multiple Mantises swarm the Pig Monkey and the one to his left strikes him hard with a scythe.

"To your left, Primeape! Focus Punch!" the move strikes the correct one and causes the duplicates to disappear, but Mac moves swiftly.

"Wing Attack," he says, and Scyther whips around, slamming the Fighting Pokémon, knocking him out.

"The battle has ended! Mac is the winner and will be competing in the final tomorrow morning against Serena!" the referee announces. Mac walks to the center to shake his hand, but Grant turns and walks off the battlefield without a second glance. The audience - catching this - boos loudly, then cheers even harder for Mac when he is left standing alone in the center. He quickly waves, then rushes off the field as well.

"I told you that guy was shady," Andrew says to Maggie and Trent as they exit the upper deck for the cabins below. "A battle doesn't go how he wants and he loses all tact."

"I mean," Trent responds, "I wouldn't be too happy if I were beaten that quick, either. Well, I _was_ beaten that quick - by Mac - but still.. It wasn't cool not to shake his hand, though. That's bad taste."

As they're talking, Charmeleon stops walking, distracted by something.

"Hey bud," Andrew asks, seeing his partner lagging behind, "what's up?"

"Charmeell…" the Pokémon looks concerned, then runs down a corridor.

"Charmeleon! Hang on! I'll catch you guys later," Andrew throws the last comment over his shoulder as he runs after Charmeleon. Right as he catches up with him, he stops and hushes Andrew. He sees that there is a trainer in the hall looking terrified speaking to someone just out of sight.

"... didn't get it deployed in time.. The battle was - "

"Was what?!" The voice snarled angrily. "Too short? Why don't you try going up against him, then? Oh right - you're too weak to even get into a tournament like this. Get out. Now." He slams the door on the other man and Andrew and Charmeleon quickly exit the way they came. Obviously the unseen voice belonged to Grant, but Andrew is still too confused as to what they're trying to accomplish. Deploy what? All of this wasn't making any sense to him, and as he lay in his cabin that night, his mind wanders to dark places - ships sinking, Pokémon going missing, massive explosions, the battle they had witnessed that night. As this last thought appears, his mind begins to ease - thinking about how confidently Mac commanded his team, how his Pokémon seem to just know what to do and when.

* * *

The next morning, Andrew wakes to a pounding on his door, followed by excited shouts from two familiar voices.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty!" Maggie shrieks, "It's the day of the final!" Andrew feels that the ship is no longer moving. Assuming they must be back in Vermilion, he dresses quickly and heads to breakfast with his friends. Trent continues to marvel over the Pokétch and Maggie can't stop gushing over how Mac is "the greatest trainer she's ever witnessed." They make their way to the mezzanine and discover the entire layout has changed. Lights and cameras are everywhere; the starboard side has completely opened to reveal a giant battlefield, half covered by the upper deck, the other half open-air. Stands are set up on all four sides and they realize more people have joined those already on the cruise. Massive screens are also set up all around the battlefield, with camera operators situated on all sides of the field and a standalone camera hovering over the center.

Mac and Serena enter together to roars of applause and shouts, their faces on every screen. They take their respective spots and the referee announces that the rules will remain the same - three Pokémon each, substitutions are allowed and in the event of a tie, they will choose one final Pokémon to determine the winner. Serena wins the coin toss, but chooses to go first and sends out Venusaur. The massive Seed Pokémon looks battle-ready as Mac sends forth his trusty Scyther.

"Sludge Bomb, now Venusaur!" Serena commands, starting the battle with the powerful Poison attack. Globs of sludge are released from the flower on the Grass-type's back, and Mac commands Scyther to use Double Team. The mantis multiplies, avoiding the opponents move, but Serena is prepared. "Frenzy Plant!" she yells, and Venusaur glows a deep green then slams his body forward, releasing massive, thorn covered vines from the battlefield. The Scyther duplicates disappear rapidly, and the real one is struck by the high-powered Grass attack.

"Wing Attack!" Mac commands, and the Bug Pokémon zips through the air, turning quickly and seriously injuring Venusaur. "Now, X-Scissor close range," and Scyther slashes at his opponent with his sharp scythes, taking advantage of the weakened Venusaur.

"Venusaur, Leech Seed!" Serena, desperate to keep her partner fighting, commands the attack, and a seed plants itself on the tip of Scyther's wing, wrapping him up and sucking the life out of him. "Good! Now use Body Slam!" Venusaur heaves his massive body high into the air and comes crashing down, but not before Scyther has the chance to sidestep the attack in the final moment. Mac tells him to use Slash, and the Mantis Pokémon does so, while simultaneously getting health sapped. The move hits, but Scyther is too weakened and as Venusaur falls from the Slash attack, so does Scyther from the Leech Seed.

"Both Pokémon are unable to continue!" the referee announces. Mac and Serena return their partners and throw their next Pokéballs into the air at the same time. Serena chooses a beautiful Vaporeon and Mac his Cloyster.

"Acid Armor, Vaporeon!" Serena wastes no time setting up a solid defensive strategy, and her Pokémon's body begins glowing in various shades of purple.

"Cloyster, Spike Cannon!" The bivalve opens its shell and begins blasting silver spikes from it, striking Vaporeon. The move hits, but doesn't seem to affect the opponent, and Vaporeon runs forward, her tail aglow, preparing an Iron Tail. "Withdraw!" Mac shouts quickly, and Cloyster retreats to its shell just in time. The Bubble Jet Pokémon slams into the hardened shell, but recovers quickly, and Serena calls for Bubblebeam. Cloyster is inundated with the powerful barrage, and finally opens to reveal itself, launching a Blizzard as it does so. The two Water-types, seemingly evenly matched now face one another and Mac commands for Water Pulse, while Serena calls for Aurora Beam. The attacks collide, but Cloyster is already on the move with surprising expediency. Me gets just behind Vaporeon and Mac screams, "Spike Cannon!" Serena shouts for Acid Armor, but the move is no match for the silver spikes and Vaporeon falls, unable to continue.

She recalls her teammate, and without hesitation brings forth her final Pokémon. A large, pink Pokémon with a massive tongue is released. Andrew consults the Pokédex to reveal this to be a Lickitung, a strange Normal-type that is capable of paralyzing its enemy with its saliva.

"Lickitung, Gyro Ball!" he begins to spin in place and launches his body forward. Mac calls for Withdraw, and it succeeds in blocking the brunt of the attack, but Lickitung is already extending its massive tongue in a Lick attack, coating the Bivalve Pokémon's shell.

"Cloyster, use Blizzard!" Mac shouts to his teammate, but he seems to be frozen in place, paralyzed from the previous attack.

"Good job, Lickitung! Now use Wrap!" he extends his tongue even further and wraps Cloyster, then spins him quickly from his grasp, hurling him across the battlefield. Cloyster opens its shell at the last moment and lets loose a powerful Blizzard attack, but Serena calls from the other side, "Gyro Ball!" and her teammate spins rapidly, avoiding damage from the frigid air. He then spins in towards the open Cloyster and lands a critical hit, knocking out the Water/Ice dual-type.

Mac returns Cloyster, thanking him for the battle, and throws his third Pokéball high into the air. Out pops Rapidash, who is already charging towards Lickitung. "Flare Blitz!" Mac commands, and the Fire Horse's flames glow blue as she throws every ounce of herself at her opponent.

"Rollout!" Serena calls for the attack at the last second and Lickitung rolls its body up, then narrowly avoids the flames. He returns behind Rapidash and slams into her, making direct contact with the super effective move. Serena calls for it again, and Mac commands Rapidash to use Bounce. The majestic horse bounds into the air, avoiding Lickitung and his Rollout, then comes hurtling down to earth, landing hard on her opponent. Lickitung barely recovers from this, and throws his massive tongue at Rapidash, Licking the horse and causing paralysis. The effects are no match for her gusto, however, and just as the words leave Mac's mouth, Rapidash is unleashing a high-power Fire Blast. The flames overtake Lickitung and the Licking Pokémon is knocked out.

The crowd is wild with excitement. Andrew is in awe of the prowess he just witnessed - from both sides. As the two trainers recall their Pokémon, a woman steps out from the audience, apparently a news reporter of some sort.

"Wow! What we just witnessed was something only two professional Pokémon trainers could achieve." her face is contorted into the oddest, most forced smile Andrew has ever seen. "Even I have to admit, I had NO idea who was going to take the cake from this one! Let's talk to our new S.S. Champion."

The woman - revealed to be Region Reporter Rhonda Lane - interviews Mac, gushing over his performance and hailing him with accolades. He stands there sheepishly, smiling and attempting to get a word in to congratulate Serena - who is also standing next to them at the urging of the news team.

"Now, what we've all been waiting for: the prize! As the new S.S. Champion, you've one a state-of-the-art custom Pokétch from our friends at PokéTech!" One of the battle officials hands him a sleek black matte watch-looking device - much more sophisticated and hi-tech than the ones on Andrew, Trent, and Maggie's wrists. Rhonda continues, "this is also our way of announcing the official launch of this incredible product worldwide! And folks, trust me - you won't want to be caught _dead_ without one!"

This last sentence sticks with Andrew, but just as he turns to make a comment to his friends, he sees an Electrode, Graveler, Wheezing, and Golem slowly approaching. The Alakazam, Slowbro, and Kadabra that were psychic-ing the ship back to its original state stop and look over, as well. At this exact moment, something explodes underneath them, deep in the belly of the ship. Andrew sees the four mysterious Pokémon begin to glow, and throws himself at his friends, knocking them off their feet.

"Everyone, down!" Andrew shrieks, and at the same time, Electrode, Golem, Wheezing and Graveler all use Explosion and the upper deck is blown apart. All around, people are screaming as various Pokémon use Explosion from all sides of the ship. Andrew, regaining his footing, sees Mac also on his feet with Cloyster by his side using Protect. Andrew calls out Kingler. "I know you're not wanting to listen right now, but I need you to use Protect on everyone here right now - please!"

Realizing the magnitude of the situation, the Pincer Pokémon obeys, casting a Protect all around the fallen trainers. More Explosions are heard from below and Andrew feels the boat sinking beneath his feet. Eevee emerges from her Pokéball by his side. She runs forward in pursuit of something out of sight. Andrew has no choice but to follow, ordering Kingler to stay with Maggie and Trent, both of whom are still recovering from the blasts. He turns a corner and sees an Exeggcute - his Eevee is suspended in midair in front of the Egg Pokémon. It then hurls Eevee back at Andrew and he catches her, but sees the opponents body glowing in preparation.

"That won't be necessary, Exeggcute," a cool, female voice says from behind. Andrew whips around and sees a tall young woman walking their way, unfazed by the sinking ship below them. She is wearing a sleek gray jumpsuit and on the left breast pocket, a small pin sits in the shape of a hexagon. The Pokémon stops glowing and the woman returns it to its Pokéball. "We've got better things to do than battling weak young trainers."

The floor below them cracks; steam erupts above their heads as pipes burst from the force of the attacks above and below. The mysterious woman walks past Andrew and Eevee, still recovering in his arms from the powerful Psychic attack.

"Whatever you and Grant are up to - you won't get away with it." Andrew speaks with feigned confidence. He surprises himself with how calm he sounds, despite the mounting terror all around.

She stops and smiles - it is cold and calculating.

"So you're the trainer from the Vermilion Tunnel. I see you chose to catch that useless trash," her eyes dart to his arms, where Eevee lays motionless. "I'm not surprised. Weak trainers are often attracted to even weaker Pokémon." She speaks plainly. "It's a good thing so many will go down with this disaster of a ship."

Andrew cannot believe what he's hearing. How could anyone feel this way about the world? He goes to retort, but the woman throws a second Pokéball into the air and an Arbok emerges. Its eyes glow red and Andrew feels his entire body go rigid, paralyzed to the spot. "Come on, Arbok. Let's get out of here before anyone else is foolish enough to try and stop us."

She walks away, and Andrew can do nothing but stare into the space where she once stood. The ship is quickly sinking around him - pipes continue to spout hot steam, causing him to sweat. The floor now has a giant crack running through the center and is slowly expanding. He feels himself lose his balance and he falls to the side, Eevee slipping from his arms. Just as he thinks this is the end, he hears a familiar voice from behind. "Vine whip!"

Two different sets of vines wrap themselves gently around Andrew and Eevee, just as the floor crumbles beneath them.

"Now bring them in, quick!" the two are brought to hard ground and Andrew hears a second voice, "Refresh, Chansey!" A wave of warmth covers his being, and Andrew regains his ability to move and feel.

"We need to stop her!" he shouts to no one in particular. He looks around and sees the chaos of the ship - trainers using Psychic Pokémon to keep passengers from danger, others using the brute strength of Fighting types to stop pillars and ceiling chunks from falling on them. Still others are using their Water types to put out fires that have started all over. Andrew sees Trent with his Kingler fighting their way through debris towards him. He realizes Maggie used her Ivysaur and a Tangela's Vine Whips to save him. He quickly thanks them, then tries to explain what just happened, but another rumble signifies there is no time, and that they must get off the ship as soon as possible.

"If you have any Pokémon that can surf, use them now - get to the edge of the ship and find your way to shore. If your Pokémon can fly and carry you, use them. If you don't, there are trainers on the edge to assist as necessary. The dock has been destroyed, but fortunately we aren't terribly far from the port." Nurse Joy - whose Chansey restored Andrew and Eevee - has taken the lead on the rescue.

Andrew, Trent, and Maggie run to the bow of the boat - they realize how close to the water they now are. Trent calls for Wartortle and Andrew tells Kingler to take Maggie. The two Water types dive with the trainers and Andrew waits one second, before calling for Pidgeotto. He knows he is too heavy for the Bird Pokémon, so he tells him to take his backpack and Pokéballs, holding on to one. As he does this, he sees Mac not twenty yards away, struggling to help trainers off the edge with his Cloyster and Poliwrath.

"Take them, and get out of here!" Pidgeotto doesn't want to leave his trainer, knowing the danger he is in. "Don't worry, Pidgeotto, I'll see you soon - just get yourself and the others to safety. Now!" He takes a second longer, then turns and flies off. Andrew runs towards Mac - a plan quickly taking form in his head.

"Let me help you." Mac looks terrified, but calm. He attempts an objection, but he sees something shift in the dust and debris, and agrees. Andrew sees this, too, but cannot make out the shape and calls forth Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon quickly realizes the magnitude of the situation and understands.

"Bulbasaur, jump onto Cloyster's shell and use Vine Whip. Mac, do you think Poliwrath can keep a good grip on his vines?"

Mac, too, understands the plan. "Poliwrath, freeze your hands to Bulbasaur's vines with Ice Punch, but do your best not to hurt him!" Poliwrath does so. Bulbasaur winces from the cold, but remains strong. Cloyster jumps from the ship into the water below and Poliwrath remains with the men, creating a live zip line. Mac and Andrew then lead the remaining passengers to the makeshift escape rope and as the last one slides down the vines to safety, Andrew recalls his partner and Mac returns Poliwrath. By this point, the ship is in complete disarray. The Psychic Pokémon and their trainers have left and Andrew and Mac are the only two left, or so they think.

"Hyper Beam!" they hear from behind. A bright light bursts from the dust and haze, aimed directly for the two trainers. Cloyster flies from the water behind them and lets loose a Blizzard attack. He then pushes Andrew and Mac overboard, shoving them off the edge while he continues to counter the unknown attacker. Just as they're about to hit the water's crest, they are slowed and stop midair. Andrew sees a Hypno on the water's edge using Psychic and then turns to see Cloyster launched from the ship into the water. Mac screams out for his partner, but the Bivalve does not resurface.

The two trainers are brought back to the mainland and Andrew sees Trent and Maggie drying off, holding his backpack and accompanied by Pidgeotto and Kingler. Mac dives back into the water and sends out Poliwrath again. Andrew watches as the two dive deep and do not emerge for a long time.

When they do, they seem to be dragging something below the surface. The trainer commanding the Hypno orders for him to help, and they all see they are carrying Cloyster, closed in his shell. Nurse Joy rushes to the Pokémon and its trainer and everyone else huddles off to the side, taking stock of what just happened.

Rain begins to fall slowly and the survivors of the shipwreck take shelter in the Pokémon Center. The News Crew from the final is interviewing people left and right. Andrew does his best to avoid this, desperate to find Mac and see what is happening. He sees Trent and Maggie huddled in a corner and goes to them.

"Thanks for your help - with Kingler," Maggie says. She is in shock, as are most of the trainers. "One of the reporters is looking for you - that awful one with the fake smile."

"Why didn't you follow us?" Trent asks. "We thought you were right behind us and when we got to shore, we realized you weren't there."

Andrew couldn't respond yet. From the corner of his eye, he sees Mac sitting alone in a hallway off the main Center.

"Sorry guys - I'll be right back." he walks over to him, just avoiding a second reporter barraging trainers with questions. Mac's head is in his hands and he doesn't notice Andrew sitting next to him. He reaches out and touches his arm lightly - Mac jerks away, then realizes who it is.

"Sorry - I thought you were… well, anyone else." It was as if the magnitude of the recent events just hit both of them. They say no more to one another but sit in silence, waiting. Too many thoughts began to flood Andrew's mind. Why did the Pokémon behave like that? Who would command them to blow up the ship, and why do it in plain sight? Where do Grant and that mysterious, cold woman play into all of this? He can't help himself but think of the worst case scenario - what if everyone didn't make it off the ship?

As this nightmare seeps into his consciousness, Nurse Joy appears from the glass doors next to them. Mac shoots up from the bench and Andrew follows suit; instinctively, he grabs for Mac's hand and this time, Mac does not recoil.

"Cloyster will be alright, but I need to keep him here and continue to run some tests. His response rate is… slow… but with proper care and time, I think he will be back to his regular, battle-ready self." She pauses. "I don't know what happened on that ship, but the two of you showed immense bravery. Whatever attacked your Pokémon was incredibly powerful. Neither of you were able to get a glimpse of what it was?"

Andrew hesitates. "There was a woman on board who attacked Eevee and I. That's why you found us paralyzed, but she and her Arbok seemed to exit the ship after that."

Mac turns to Andrew. "What did the woman look like?" His tone is unlike any Andrew has heard yet.

"She was tall, long hair, wearing a gray jumpsuit with some sort of badge on the corner."

Mac's face loses color. "Bella. That's her name."

"You know this woman?" Nurse Joy asks.

"Better than anyone. She's my sister," he replies, ice in his voice.


	4. Secrets

Trainers slowly dissipate from the Pokémon Center. Maggie and Trent stick around long enough to make sure Andrew is okay, and thank him for his help, then they continue on their respective journeys. Andrew stays at the Center for another day - Bulbasaur and Eevee needing a bit more care than the others, but eventually both come back in perfect health. Mac, too, has stuck around, waiting for more information on his Cloyster. Oddly, Andrew's Kingler has decided to keep watch over the healing Cloyster. When a Pokémon Specialist, Dr. Horace, from Saffron City arrives, he lets them know that they will need to take Cloyster with them to the main hospital.

"Only for a bit," the doctor reassures Mac. "We'd like to run a few more tests to make sure there isn't any… deeper damage done." He is careful with his words, and Mac understands. "I see you've got the new Pokétch. I'll be sure to have my assistant get you my direct line so if anything happens, or if you need anything, you can contact us." He smiles, and takes Cloyster's Pokéball from Mac.

"Kingler, what are you doing? You're staying with me." Andrew watches as Kingler follows Dr. Horace out of the room. The Pincer Pokémon turns and looks at his trainer, then gestures to the Pokéball.

"It seems Kingler has grown very fond of Cloyster," Nurse Joy says. "He's refused to leave his side for the entirety of Cloyster's recovery. I may add, his recovery does seem to benefit from the companionship."

Andrew hears this, and sees that there is really no alternative. "Do you want to go with them, too, Kingler?" Kingler nods his head and again turns to Cloyster's Pokéball in the doctor's hand.

"Well, that's very kind of you Kingler, but you really don't have to," Mac speaks up. He's been very quiet the last few days, only really interacting with Andrew and Nurse Joy.

"If you're willing, Andrew, it might be nice for Cloyster to have a friend with him," Dr. Horace adds.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay, if that's what you want," he speaks to Kingler. The Pokémon looks very happy and Andrew hands his Pokéball over to the specialist. He returns Kingler to the ball and thanks the trainers, letting them know that they will both receive a confirmation when all is well.

Andrew and Mac stand outside the Pokémon Center, watching Dr. Horace drive away with their partners.

"Man, what a week." Mac lets out a sigh and turns to Andrew. "You really didn't have to do that. Any of it, really."

"I know, but I wanted to." Andrew cannot believe that the two of them only just met a week earlier. After all that had happened, it felt like years had passed. "Cloyster saved my life - both of our lives. It's the least I can do." Mac touches his arm. The familiar warmth rushes through him, and this time he doesn't retreat. Andrew lets himself get wrapped in the trainer's strong embrace, holding one another close as they watch the sunset over the Vermilion Port.

The following day, Andrew packs his things, preparing to continue his journey. Though much had happened in the days prior, he knows his goal, and is even more driven to become as strong as possible. Before he leaves the center, however, he is stopped by Nurse Joy.

"I know it's not much, but I want you to have this, as a thank you for everything." She hands him a Moon Stone, letting him know that it is an evolution stone meant for specific types of Pokémon. "I know you've got a powerful Nidorino that may benefit from that," she adds with a smile. Then, "Listen - we both know something is going on - I plan to do my best to find out as much as I can. I'll keep you updated if I discover anything of note. My number is in your Pokétch." She pauses. "The woman you saw on the ship - Bella - don't go looking for her or anything. But if you happen to run into her again… don't take it easy." Nurse Joy walks back to the Pokémon Center and as he turns to leave, he sees Mac in the distance.

"Hey!" Andrew calls, jogging to catch up to him. "Thanks again, for last night." His voice cracks and he blushes. Mac smiles and pretends not to notice.

"Thank you - it's good to have someone like you by my side every now and then." Mac speaks seriously and with kindness. "You're an amazing trainer, Andrew, and I can't wait to battle you again. Right now, though, I've got some personal things to work out. You understand."

"Of course," Andrew replies quickly. "But keep me in the loop. I want to help if I can."

Mac grabs Andrew's shoulder and pulls him close. What he does next surprises both of them, as he leans in and kisses Andrew on the cheek. "Of course I'll let you know. But for now, focus on getting more badges and growing that team. I look forward to seeing you and your Pokémon again soon." Mac leaves, and Andrew is left with his thoughts. Only this time, they aren't nightmares of the past, but hopes for the future.

As he continues on his way, Andrew realizes he only has 5 Pokémon in his party. He decides to look around the area and comes across a strong Drowzee. He battles with Nidorino and, despite a type disadvantage, Nidorino holds his own well and assists Andrew in catching the Hypnosis Pokémon. After the battle, Andrew shows Nidorino the Moon Stone he received from Nurse Joy. He offers it to his partner, but only if he chooses, and Nidorino leaps at the opportunity, evolving instantly into Nidoking. Thrilled with the new additions, Andrew decides to travel to Celadon and challenge the Gym Leader, Erika.

He arrives in Celadon City and immediately heads to the Gym. Before he even steps foot inside, however, a beautiful young woman calls him by name and tells him to battle her.

"The name's Gina and you won't stand a chance against Erika if you can't beat me!" Gina throws a Pokéball into the air and a Venusaur appears. The massive and final evolution of Bulbasaur lets out a deep growl and Andrew chooses Pidgeotto. The Bird Pokémon soars overhead and launches a powerful Gust. Venusaur takes the hit and Gina then calls for Vine Whip. Massive, thick vines emerge from below his flower and Pidgeotto does his best to dodge, but is slammed hard by the Grass attack.

"Wing Attack, go Pidgeotto!" Andrew calls from his post and Pidgeotto quickly takes to the sky, its wings glowing as he flies low and strikes the opponent.

"Venusaur, Poisonpowder!" The Seed Pokémon blasts a purple powder from his flower and Pidgeotto narrowly avoids the status-inducing move, flapping his wings into a Whirlwind to dissipate the powder. "Now, Wing Attack again!" He swoops low and strikes Venusaur with another direct attack. The massive Grass Pokémon falters, but Gina is unfazed and screams, "Solarbeam!" Venusaur's flower glows bright yellow, absorbing power from the sun. Andrew calls for Pidgeotto to use Gust, and the move hits, but Venusaur has fully prepared his attack, and a powerful beam of light burns through the air towards the Flying Pokémon. As Pidgeotto takes its full power, his body glows silver and Andrew realizes his partner has learned a new move.

"Amazing, Pidgeotto! Let's do it! Sky Attack!" The Bird, now fully cloaked in a silvery shimmer, skims the surface of the ground and flies at breakneck speed towards his enemy, then strikes with the full force of the most powerful Flying-type attack. Venusaur tries, but fails to remain standing and collapses, signifying Andrew has won the match.

"Okay," Gina says, trying to hide how impressed she is, "but if Pidgeotto hadn't learned that move right then, we would've _definitely_ had a chance at beating you!" She tells him that two other trainers are waiting for him, but before she finishes her sentence, Erika walks out from a small grove of trees.

"That won't be necessary, G," she speaks with elegance and poise to her colleague, but her eyes are only on Andrew. "I heard what you did on the S.S. Anne. It takes a lot of guts to risk yourself - and your Pokémon like that. And a Grass-type nonetheless." She looks at his belt of Pokéballs, as if she knew exactly which one held his Bulbasaur. "We shouldn't take advantage of the skillsets our partners possess. Pokémon are meant to be part of us, not tools to utilize as we please."

"Then why do you battle at all?" Andrew responds. He keeps his head, but his heart rate increases.

"Oh, I am not trying to fight with you - yet, at least," Erika smiles. "We will battle - but only because my Pokémon have the desire to do so, not because I am forcing them into anything. We will battle with three partners each." She walks away from Andrew and into the building behind her, leaving him confused as to whether he should follow. "Unless you're too scared, of course," she throws this comment over her shoulder and Andrew jogs after her, following the odd woman into the gym.

The battlefield inside is covered in greenery and floral arrangements. Everywhere you look are plants of all shapes and colors. Erika stands on one end of a grassy playing field. Another female colleague takes post at the referee stand and announces the rules: three Pokémon each, and only the challenger may substitute his team members as necessary.

"Let's begin with a bang, shall we?" Erika appears to be having fun now. "Victreebel, start us off right!"

The Flycatcher Pokémon emerges from its Pokéball ready for battle. Checking his Pokédex, Andrew sees that this is the final evolution of Weepinbell and is a Poison/Grass dual-type known for its high attack power. Andrew calls for Nidoking, knowing his Poison typing will only benefit him. "Razor Leaf!" Erika calls for the move and her partner spins rapidly, sharp leaves flying towards Nidoking. He takes the hit, but then charges forward with a powerful Horn Attack. Victreebel is thrown back from the force, but recovers in time for Erika to call for a Slam attack. It hurls itself into the air over Nidoking, then whips its massive vine on its head for a critical hit. Nidoking falters, but regains his stance and Andrew calls for a newly learned Poison Jab. Nidoking throws a violet colored fist at his opponent, but right as the move strikes, he is bound tightly in Victreebel's Wrap. Unable to move, Erika calls, "Now Victreebel, throw it into the air and use Slam!" The Flycatcher does just that and Nidoking soars into the air. Struck with an idea, however, Andrew shouts for Nidoking to use Ice Beam, and just as Victreebel takes position for its Slam, it is hit with the icy blast and faints.

"Victreebel, return!"Erika returns her partner and throws a second Pokéball into the air. Tangela emerges and instantly, her vines are soaring through the air. "Good Tangela, Constrict!" Nidoking is wrapped in a tangle of deep green vines, and is unable to break free. "Now, Giga Drain!" Nidoking is thrashing around, trying to escape from the Grass Pokémon's clutches, but to no avail. Tangela throws him from her grasp and Andrew calls for Ice Beam. The barely functioning Nidoking stands and lets loose a frozen beam of energy and Tangela is struck hard. "Now, Mega Kick!" Nidoking jumps high into the air and goes for the attack, but Erika is quicker. "Slam!" she commands, and as Nidoking comes down towards his target, Tangela catches him in her vines and slams him to the ground, knocking him out.

"Did you just use a technique that I used earlier?" Andrew asks Erika.

"You bet. You see, we Gym Leaders try to learn from our opponents just as much as they will from us. We adapt and re-work strategies to make sure you're receiving a true challenge." She smiles and cheers on her Tangela.

Andrew recalls Nidoking, and thanks him heartily for his assistance. He throws his second Pokéball into the air and out pops Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon is fully in his element here, and looks amped up and ready to fight.

"Take Down!" Andrew wastes no time and Bulbasaur is charging forward. Tangela preps for the blow, then wraps Bulbasaur in her vines and with a "Giga Drain!" call from her trainer, she begins to suck health from her opponent. Though not very effective, the move does enough to re-energize the Grass Pokémon and Erika calls for Slam. Tangela spins in place and Bulbasaur is struck over and over again by the flexible body.

"Hang on, Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur braces himself and takes the hits, then Andrew calls, "Poisonpowder!" Purple powder puffs out of the bulb on his back and consumes Tangela. "Razor Leaf!" Now statused, Tangela is unable to move as quickly and takes a critical hit from Razor Leaf.

"Don't get down, Tangela!" Erika cheers from her post. "Use Constrict!" Tangela throws her body at Bulbasaur, but the Seed Pokémon is ready for the attack, absorbing the blow with his own vines. He then hurls the Pokémon into the air with a powerful Vine Whip, then brings her hard to the ground. Tangela faints from the surprise attack, and Erika returns her teammate. "Very impressive; you don't seem to focus on type advantage, rather the trust you have in your partners. I like that. But this last one won't be so easy. Come on out!" She twirls and releases her final partner, Vileplume. Checking the Dex, Andrew sees that this is the final evolution of Oddish and is also a Grass/Poison dual-type.

"How're you doing, Bulbasaur?" Andrew calls to his partner. Bulbasaur smiles and decides to stay in the battle. "Excellent. Let's go for a Take Down!" Bulbasaur charges towards the Flower Pokémon, who braces herself for the attack.

"Petal Dance!" Erika commands the move just as Bulbasaur makes contact. Vileplume lowers her flower - pink and gold petals come bursting out of the center, slashing at her opponent and knocking him back hard. Bulbasaur uses Vine Whip, but Vileplume has already launched a second Petal Dance, and the Seed Pokémon's attack was no match for the high-powered Grass move. Realizing there is no point in letting Bulbasaur faint, Andrew recalls his teammate just before the move makes contact.

"Good strategy," Erika says. "That way, when I beat your third Pokémon, you'll still have at least some sort of a chance!" Frustrated by her taunting, Andrew throws his final Pokéball into the air and out pops Charmeleon. "Of course - a Fire-type is the most obvious choice. I was surprised you didn't start with him, actually. Were you afraid he wouldn't hold up and it would be embarrassing?" Andrew's temperament heats up, but Charmeleon stays calm and collected, ready to face the foe.

"Flamethrower!" Andrew shouts, and a burst of red and orange flames erupt from Charmeleon's mouth.

"Protect!" Erika calls for the move just in time, and Vileplume is shielded from the super-effective move. "Now, Sludge Bomb!" Globs of thick sludge shoot from the flower on her head, and Charmeleon dodges all of them, sidestepping closer and closer to Vileplume. Andrew calls for Slash, and Charmeleon is already in place, slicing through the air with his claws and scoring a critical hit.

"Vileplume, Moonlight!" The Flower Pokémon begins to glow a deep purple and recovers part of her health from the move, and Erika then calls for Petal Dance. Andrew counters with Fire Spin and the two attacks clash in the center of the grassy field. The flames overtake the petals, however, and Vileplume is surrounded by walls of hot fire.

Flustered, Erika calls to her teammate, "Protect Vileplume!" and a shield can be seen forming within the flames, causing them to flare out and extinguish. "Now, Sludge Bomb!" Exhausted and clearly burned, Vileplume launches another powerful Poison attack at Charmeleon, but the Flame Lizard is ready, avoiding the move and using Flamethrower for a direct, super-effective hit and knocking out Vileplume.

"The match has ended - Andrew is the winner!" the referee calls from her post, looking disgruntled. Erika returns her partner and walks to the center of the field. Charmeleon stands next to Andrew as they meet her.

"That Bulbasaur of yours is pretty special," Erika says. "His aura is closely tied to yours. Whatever your past is, he trusts you deeply - all of your Pokémon do, as a matter of fact." She looks very seriously at him and Charmeleon, then smiles. "There will come a time when we need trainers like you to step up," she pauses, wondering how much more she should say. "Don't lose sight of the important things in life. Battling, sure, but compassion and love, trust. Those are even more imperative in the ever growing bond between you and your Pokémon."

"Why is everyone saying things like this?" Andrew is frustrated. "What's going on? First the S.S. Anne, then Nurse Joy, now this? Why is everyone being so cagey all the time?"

"A lot is still unknown," Erika responds. "The only thing I can say is what I know, and that is that the accident on the S.S. Anne was no accident… and it is likely to happen again. But enough of that for now." She smiles. "You were a tough opponent, but you've earned this Rainbow Badge. Wear it with pride." She hands him a flower-shaped badge, each petal a different color. Andrew places the badge with his others and leaves the gym, Charmeleon still at his side.

"Great work, buddy," he says to his partner. "I just wish people were more upfront, you know?" Charmeleon nods his head in understanding. Andrew thinks about what Erika said. There are many moments where he feels his Pokémon seem to understand him, more so than he's seen with most other trainers. He looks at the Pokétch on his wrist, realizing he has barely used it since he received the gift from Maggie. He holds it up and touches the screen - immediately, it scans Charmeleon in front of him and begins to list a series of numbers and descriptors. Andrew quickly realizes these are his statistics and sees that, according to the hi-tech watch, his partner is due to evolve soon. This excites Andrew, and just as he's about to put it away, he sees a barometer at the bottom and presses a finger into the hologram. The bar increases in size and becomes more detailed, describing Charmeleon's level of happiness and overall growth, as well as information comparing him to others of his species.

"Charmeleon, this is wild," Andrew says absently. The Pokémon comes and looks at the information with him. In the left column, the words _Trust_ and _Happiness_ are highlighted in gold. Andrew sees that both of them have full bars next to them, indicating Charmeleon's levels in each of these. Andrew tears up at this, and looks toward his partner. "Thanks, buddy," he says. Charmeleon smiles at him, then turns quickly, alert. Something behind them stirs and Andrew exits the information on the watch. The two stand ready for battle, and just as Charmeleon's flame flares, they see Trent emerge from the woods, accompanied by a Blastoise.

"Woah, hey guys!" he says, excited. "Look, Blastoise just evolved!" Charmeleon relaxes and he and his trainer take in their friend now standing in front of them.

"Wow, congrats!" Andrew is truly impressed. Trent's Blastoise is large and powerful looking, yet sleek and well-kept. "What're you doing here?" Andrew asks. "I thought you already beat Erika?"

"Oh, I did! Like a week ago. But I needed an evolution stone and Celadon is one of the only places that seems to have any." Trent throws a second Pokéball and a Growlithe emerges. Andrew pulls out his Pokédex and observes the information on the Puppy Pokémon. "You're still using that?" Trent says with a laugh. "Ever since I got my Pokétch, I don't really need that thing."

"You mean you're not filling your Pokédex anymore?" Andrew asks.

"Nah, I've got all the info I need right here." He references the watch on his arm. "It scans the Pokémon I'm about to catch and lets me know the moveset, stats, and even if there's something special about it. Like look," he points to Growlithe's black markings. "These are unique to every Growlithe, and mine is in a really interesting swirl pattern. Cool, huh?" Trent is so excited about this, and Andrew pretends to be, as well, but is also still distracted by the fact that he's given up on the Pokédex.

"Anyway, we're off to get a Fire Stone to evolve him - then I'll have an Arcanine! Can you believe it? I'd love to battle, but I really wanna get moving on this." Trent says goodbye and heads off towards the large department store in the distance. Andrew waves goodbye and looks back at Charmeleon, who is frowning.

"I know, right? That felt a bit… off.." Andrew pauses. "But he does have a Blastoise now, and that's pretty cool." Charmeleon scoffs and looks away. "Hey, you know I wouldn't trade you for the world. You're my partner. I chose you because I know what you're capable of. I've never seen another Pokémon battle as hard as you have." Charmeleon smiles at his trainer in understanding. Andrew returns him to his Pokéball and takes his team to the local Center, where he meets Celadon's Nurse Joy. They discuss his battle with Erika and she informs him that the local department store is a great spot for any and all Pokémon wares. Andrew decides to check it out, and while there, is talked into purchasing a Water Stone by a very convincing salesman.

That night, as they are training in the woods next to Celadon, Eevee becomes very curious about Andrew's backpack. She sniffs around and pulls out the stone, as she does so, she shrieks with glee and evolves into Vaporeon. Both shocked and thrilled by the occurrence, Andrew embraces the newly evolved Water-type. He checks his Pokétch and discovers that she has also learned some new moves, including Bubblebeam and Acid Armor. He decides to camp in the woods that night, looking at the stars with his partners and letting his mind wander all over. He thinks about his next gym battle, about Trent and Maggie, and then about Mac - about his Cloyster and Andrew's Kingler. He drifts off to the sounds of the trees swaying in the early Autumn breeze.

The next day, Andrew packs his campsite and heads towards Lavender Town. There is a Pokémon expert there that Professor Oak told him he had to meet - a man by the name of Mr. Fuji. On his way, he battles a strange scientist with a Slowpoke and a set of twins interested in a double battle.

"We only battle together!" Ritchie, the male twin says. "You cool with that?"

"Uh, sure. I've only done one other of these though, so bear with me," Andrew responds.

"Excellent. We'll teach you the right way, won't we, Wigglytuff?" Lynn - the female twin - throws a Pokéball into the air and a round, bubblegum-pink Pokémon bursts from it. "Go, Marowak!" Ritchie's Pokémon emerges, as well, and Andrew pulls out the Pokédex for each, discovering they are a Normal and Ground-type, respectively. Deciding to battle strategically, Andrew chooses Charmeleon and Drowzee. Lynn's Wigglytuff immediately goes in for a Doubleslap, using her long ears to viciously flap at Charmeleon. Marowak, meanwhile, uses a Bone Club and charges towards Drowzee. Andrew calls for Drowzee to use Confusion, and after the attack hits, Marowak is thrown back by the force of the Psychic attack. Meanwhile, Charmeleon is dodging Wigglytuff's barrage, and Andrew calls for a close-range Slash, which scores a critical hit. Wigglytuff retreats from the attack, and Marowak recovers from the psychic blast. Andrew takes advantage of this and calls for Fire Spin, which creates a vortex of flames around Wigglytuff. Ritchie tells Marowak to use Bonemerang around the flames, and as he does so, Andrew watches as the Bone Keeper Pokémon's weapon dissipates the flames around her teammate and then flies towards Charmeleon, knocking him from the side. Frustrated, Charmeleon looks to his trainer, and Andrew calls for Drowzee to jump forward and use Confusion. He does so, just in time to stop the bone from reaching them for a second attack. The bone flies back towards its owner and knocks her off her balance.

"Wigglytuff, use Hyper Voice!" The Balloon Pokémon takes a deep breath in, then exhales a massive special attack that seems to affect both Charmeleon and Drowzee. Andrew calls for them to cover their ears, but nothing works against its force. Andrew then gets an idea and tells Drowzee to use Hypnosis on Wigglytuff. As he does this, Ritchie commands Marowak to use Rage, but not before Andrew asks for a Dragon Rage from Charmeleon. The Flame Lizard launches the attack at the charging Marowak just as Drowzee's Hypnosis takes effect on Wigglytuff, and Andrew calls for Dream Eater. Drowzee consumes the dreams of his opponent as Marowak falls backwards from the force of the Dragon Rage. Just as Wigglytuff loses the last of her energy from Dream Eater, so does Marowak from the Dragon-type move, and both opposing Pokémon are knocked out, ending the match. Andrew is thrilled, and as he congratulates his Pokémon, Charmeleon evolves into Charizard. The fully evolved Flame Lizard rears his head and roars, flames bursting from his mouth.

"Woah! Congratulations, Andrew! I'm sad we lost, but excited for you and your partner," says Ritchie. Lynn looks impressed with the Fire-type and also congratulates Andrew. The trainers leave him alone and Andrew looks up at the final evolution of what was once his young Charmander. Charizard is thrilled at his evolution and flexes his newly formed wings and takes to the sky in his first flight. He is clumsy at first, but quickly begins swooping low and looping through the air. He lands roughly next to Andrew and the two laugh, excited for this new chapter in their relationship as trainer and Pokémon.

As they arrive in Lavender Town, they are greeted at the Pokémon Center by Mr. Fuji himself, in the middle of a serious conversation with Nurse Joy.

"Ah, Andrew!" he says, looking the trainer up and down. "Believe it or not, we were actually just talking about you. Why don't we take a little walk?" He leads Andrew to the Pokémon Tower, a building to honor those who have passed away. Though the weather is filled with a chill, signaling a change in seasons, the tower has a surprising warmth to it. Candles are lit around many of the sites and trainers are around, tending to graves and consoling those in mourning.

"I believe you know my friend here," he says, as they ascend the stairs to the third level. There, they see Mac standing at a grave site. He turns and smiles solemnly at the two.

"Hey Andrew, good to see you," he means it, and hugs him. Andrew accepts the hug, and the usual warmth he feels around his friend returns. "Oh, I actually have something for you, too." He hands Andrew a Pokéball. "Your Kingler. Careful with that one, though - he's a bit of a handful."

Andrew takes the Pokéball. "Wait," he says, a thought striking him. "This doesn't mean… your Cloyster?"

Mac half smiles at this. "Oh, no I am not here for Cloyster. Fortunately Dr. Horace was able to take care of him, and he's actually back to really great health." He pauses. "This is the grave of my first Pokémon, actually."

Andrew looks at the stone, which reads, "Mac and Flare - a fiery partnership that ended too soon."

"Because my dad was a Champion, I actually got my first Pokémon when I was only 10 years old - a Charmander, like you. We played together all the time, but I wasn't allowed to leave the grounds of the house with him until I was older. One night, we snuck out and my older sister told on me - even then, she never liked me." He pauses, then, "my mother came looking for me, but Charmander and I were having too much fun. We were climbing a cliff on the town's edge, and we were swarmed by a group of Golbat. I lost my footing and Charmander saved me. We had stirred up too much trouble, though, and the local Golbat weren't happy about it. Charmander did his best to defend me, but he just wasn't strong enough to fight them all." He trails off.  
Mr. Fuji cuts in, "fortunately, his mother was able to find him in time before anything tragic happened to him. Unfortunately, Charmander suffered too much damage from the incident. After that, Mac came and stayed with me, here in Lavender Town. Since then, he's been a spectacular assistant at the shelter."

"Shelter?" Andrew asks. "Is that somewhere that Pokémon go, or people?"

"Both," Mac says. "It's a good place for people to reconnect with Pokémon, especially if they've experienced trauma. I couldn't interact with another Pokémon for almost two years after that. But eventually, I met a really amazing one - my Scyther, actually - and between him and Mr. Fuji, they helped me process my feelings towards Pokémon, helped me feel okay again." Mac looks back at the small grave. "I regret what happened every day - but I also think about the joy that Flare brought me, and that helps me move forward."

The three men leave Pokémon Tower and head towards the Shelter. As they walk, Andrew realizes he now has seven Pokémon with him and needs to transfer one of them to Professor Oak. He says he will do so at the Pokémon Center, but Mac cuts him short. "You can just do it from your Pokétch, you know!" He shows Andrew the feature - Pokémon Transfer - which Andrew remembers seeing on the S.S. Anne, but it was still unavailable. Now, it is a clickable icon on the holo-screen. Andrew touches it and the seven Pokémon with him show up, asking which he would like to transfer. At this, Mac sees Charizard listed and gasps.

"Charmeleon evolved?! Congratulations, Andrew! That is amazing," Mac looks genuinely happy about this news and Andrew thanks him. He contemplates a moment longer, then decides to hold onto Kingler for a little longer and replaces Vaporeon for now, knowing that she would most likely rejoin the team soon. A stand-like mechanism appears in the hologram and Andrew places Vaporeon's Pokéball in it, in awe of how advanced all of this feels. The Pokéball glows bright silver, then disappears. A message then pops up, saying "In Transit." Not a moment later, a second message reads, "Received!" under it followed by a personal note, "Thanks, A! - J" J, meaning Joanne, Professor Oak's assistant. Andrew, Mr. Fuji, and Mac continue to the Shelter - a large building with a sprawling yard behind it, filled with all sorts of Pokémon.

"Now, we don't really battle much here, so if that's what you're looking for, might be best to save that for Fuchsia City," Mr. Fuji tells Andrew. A Machoke and a Kangaskhan move satchels of food from one part of the building to the next. Some smaller Pokémon run around, being chased by caretakers and children. "The kids come and spend their entire day here. They have nowhere else to go, so we teach them about Pokémon, caring for them, training them. I think it would do some good to meet some real live trainers." He says this last bit and a young boy stops running after a Bellsprout and looks at them.

"Do you have Pokémon of your own?" He asks Andrew and Mac. The two men say they do, and he beams. "Could I see some of them? Oh, please can I?" Andrew decides to send out his Bulbasaur and Charizard, and Mac chooses Scyther and Poliwrath. Immediately, the four Pokémon are swarmed by interested children. "Wow, a Charizard!" and "Oh my gosh, look how cool - Scyther!" is suddenly heard all around. Bulbasaur uses his vines to show off for the children, and Charizard breathes small bursts of fire into the air, much to the joy of the onlookers. Poliwrath shoots bubbles from his chest swirl and Scyther shows off his massive scythes, taking extreme care not to hurt anyone around him. After Mr. Fuji dismisses the children, he takes Andrew and Mac into his office. "You have no idea how much of a difference that makes. Many of these children do not believe they have a future. Period. Seeing young people like you, living happily and successfully with Pokémon brings them hope."

"Professor Oak said you wanted to talk to me about something?" Andrew asks.

"I do, and it applies to both of you," he says, addressing Andrew and Mac. "I want to talk about the incident on the S.S. Anne. After hearing about that, I have some trouble believing their plan went as smoothly as they wanted."

"Who is 'they'?" Andrew asks.

"They call themselves the Reformatory Squad," Mac says. "I've been following them off and on for about a year now, ever since I completed collecting badges… well, as many as I could anyway."

"What is a Reformatory Squad?" Andrew looks confused.

"They're a group of Pokémon trainers who believe it is their job to rewire our thought process and alter our perception of what is right and wrong. Essentially, they want everyone who trains Pokémon to think like them."

"But that's not okay," Andrew says, still very confused.

"It isn't, you're right," Mr. Fuji replies. "Which is why we need to talk. After I heard what you did to help those on the ship, I knew I had to meet you. A trainer with a heart like yours could never understand the need to reform or reconfigure your own perception of good and evil - of right and wrong. You create bonds with your Pokémon that are everlasting, and they do the same with you. You believe in synergy, where the Reformatory Squad believes in discourse. They believe the only way to achieve their end goal is to create an upset in the grand scheme."

End goal? Grand scheme? Andrew is utterly bewildered by all of this, but continues to listen carefully, finally getting answers to questions he's had for months. He tries to place some pieces into this massive puzzle. "So Grant, and your sister, Bella - are they a part of this… Reformatory Squad?"

"We believe so, yes," Mr. Fuji responds, "and we believe they were behind the attack on the S.S. Anne. Now these are all assumptions right now, but we believe that Grant entered the tournament with hopes of winning - or at least making it to the final. What better cover for the other members to put the plan in action than him competing and doing well?"

"I don't think he expected our battle to end as quickly as it did," Mac adds. "You saw how quickly he stormed off the battlefield. We believe they were scrambling and trying to pull off the attack that night, but didn't have enough time. That's why they waited till the end of the final, when everyone was on board, but the ship had yet to dock."

"The news was initially only focused on the incident, but in recent weeks they've gone silent on the matter," Mr. Fuji continues. "Again, all speculation, but one of two things may be possible. Either they're being stifled by the Reformatory Squad, or they are part of the problem."

"You mean people who work for the news might be… involved somehow?" Andrew asks, trying to keep up.

"Maybe," Mac replies. "But again, we don't really know any more than anyone else at this point. We are just keeping our eyes and ears open until more details emerge."

"So what do you need from me? What can I do to help?" Andrew asks seriously.

Mr. Fuji and Mac smile. "Right now, nothing. Keep training your Pokémon with compassion and trust; continue to serve as a positive model to those around you," Mr. Fuji says. This comment reminds him of what Erika told him after their battle.

"Are Gym Leaders involved in all this in some way?" Andrew questions. Mac stops smiling.

"Why do you say that?" he responds.

"I've been told this before. More than once."

"The Gym Leaders of Kanto are... aware," Mr. Fuji says. "They've been given the choice to either be on the outskirts of observation, or keep to themselves, watching over their gym and the city in which they're located." Mr. Fuji waits for a second, then uncovers a Pokétch from under his sleeve. "I'm syncing my Pokétch with yours - that way, I can keep you in the loop if anything pressing arises that you could assist with." Andrew feels a slight vibration on his wrist, and sees the new contact appear in his list.

As he leaves the shelter, Mac runs after him. "Hey," he says, "where are you headed? Maybe we could travel a bit together?"

"You're not staying here with Mr. Fuji?" Andrew asks.

"Nah, he's got it under control for now. If it's okay, I'd like to join you for a bit. I feel like I could learn a thing or two." He smiles. Andrew agrees to it, and the two continue on their way south towards Fuchsia City.

They speak little about what was just discussed, rather about growing up in families of Pokémon trainers. Andrew's eldest sister hadn't gone on to become a trainer like him and his older brother, but she did go into Pokémon research, studying regional variants and traveling all over the world to examine and chart various types of the same species. His brother, however, did decide to train and opted out of the Pokédex challenge, even though he scored quite high on the aptitude test. He began his journey using a Pokéball given to him from their father and caught a Weedle, which eventually grew to a very strong Beedrill. He challenged a few Gym Leaders, but his interests began to change and decided to look more into the business side of things, opening an eclectic little shop on the newly rebuilt Cinnabar Island.

"I plan to visit him when I challenge their Gym Leader - Blaine. I heard he stayed on the island all through the reconstruction, and that he's a bit…" Andrew trails off.

"Kooky?" Mac finishes. "Hah, yeah you could say that. He taught me a lot about Fire Pokémon, that's for sure."

"You know him?" Andrew asks.

"Oh, yeah," Mac says, "he was friends with my dad back in the day, so he was around a bit growing up. He liked my sister a lot more than me, though; seemed to think she had more promise than I did. I have to say, - it felt really great beating him." Mac looks seriously into the distance. Him mentioning his sister sparks a series of questions about her for Andrew, but he chooses to hold back, at least for now.

"So you've challenged the Elite Four?" Andrew asks, trying to sound casual.

"Oh," Mac says, snapping back to reality, "no. Not yet. They require you to have a minimum of 8 badges from the region and I only have seven. Unfortunately, after Blue left his post at the Viridian Gym, they haven't been able to maintain someone stable in that position, and that means nobody's been able to earn the eighth required badge for quite a while now."

Andrew remembers when this happened. Having grown up in Pallet, and its proximity to Viridian, Andrew recalls hearing stories of Blue as a competent battler, and how he used to run that gym. Something happened some years back, however, and he chose to step down from the position to assist his grandfather in Pokémon research and analysis.

"Others have tried, though, haven't they? Other Gym Leaders?" Andrew continues the conversation.

"Oh, yeah - some have tried. One of the Elite Four from the Kalos Region - Wilkstrom - even came and did a stint, but it was short lived. He said the Gym was haunted and filled with too many negative spirits from previous incidents." Mac stops walking and looks at the approaching body of water. "I did get to challenge him, though. He destroyed me. Only a handful of us challenged him before he left, and none of us could defeat him. There's a big difference between Gym Leaders and members of the Elite Four. Just a different caliber of strength, you know?"

Andrew listens intently to his traveling companion. They continue to walk in silence, and as night settles in, they find a place to build their camp and enjoy a meal together. The following days pass by pleasantly - the two of them battling various trainers along the way, taking turns setting up camp and cooking for one another. The weather continues to cool off and Andrew notices how comfortable the two are getting with one another. He develops a strong sense of kinship for Mac, one that he feels is mutual. They speak of their desires and their Pokémon, training strategies and myths. During this time, Andrew's Kingler slowly begins to trust him, too, aided by Mac's Cloyster. He has developed a strong loyalty to the Pincer Pokémon and by the time they reach Fuchsia City, Andrew and Kingler are more or less on the same page. Still, when Andrew calls Professor Oak for a check-in, and tells him of this, the professor immediately requests that he sends him to the lab for research purposes.

"I've been studying hard-shelled Pokémon in thorough detail recently, and it would be amazing to have another example on-hand." He looks absolutely giddy, and before Andrew can fully respond, Mac cuts into the call.

"Hey, Professor!" he says. "I can actually send you my Cloyster, as well if you'd like. He and Kingler get along great, so it might be nice to keep them together, at least for a while. Don't you think, Andrew?" He looks at his friend.

"Yeah, absolutely. Hey, would you be willing to send me Vaporeon back then?" Andrew requests.

"Of course," replies Oak, "and which would you like, Mac?"

Andrew is shocked to find out Mac also stores his Pokémon at the Laboratory. "What the heck, I'll take Porygon!" The professor smiles and disappears for a minute, then returns with two Pokéballs, one of which is all red with silver and black markings. The trainers transfer their Water-types from their respective Pokétch's, and seconds later, a new Pokéball appears on the surface. Andrew and Mac thank Professor Oak, and Andrew immediately asks about the strange Pokéball.

"Oh, I actually won this Pokémon at the Game Corner in Celadon. We haven't spent that much time together, but it really intrigues me!" He sends out his Porygon, and the pastel pink and blue Virtual Pokémon looks at the two trainers with interest. Andrew sends out Vaporeon, and they reunite happily. He then checks his Pokédex for information on Porygon, only to discover that it is human-made entirely out of programming code. Utterly clueless as to what this means (other than it is heavily science-related), Andrew leaves it at that. The two trainers continue to explore Fuchsia City, staying at the Pokémon Center in town. They both receive their own rooms and Andrew is happy to be indoors, but misses the closeness that camping brought for him and Mac. They head to the Safari Reserve - a zone of the city where exotic Pokémon roam freely and trainers are allowed to explore as they'd like, but may only catch one Pokémon per visit. While there, Andrew befriends an uncommon, rather giddy Tauros and decides to catch him. Mac runs into serious luck and while fishing, managing to catch a very rare Dragon-type, Dratini. As the two leave the Reserve, they see a Chansey waddle past and laugh. Apparently, Chansey is one of the rarest finds there, and she seems completely at ease walking by the two young men.


End file.
